Jeff Book reopens in downtown Jeffersonville after remodel

Brooke McAfee, The Evening News and the Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind.
·2 min read

Nov. 2—JEFFERSONVILLE — A not-for-profit used bookstore has reopened in downtown Jeffersonville after being remodeled.

Jeff Book at 404 Spring St. opened its doors in September after a hiatus. All proceeds from book sales benefit the LifeSpring Foundation, which provides grant funding for community mental health, substance use disorder treatment and other health initiatives.

The store is also under new leadership. Ellen Kelley, a licensed clinical social worker, has worked at LifeSpring for more than 14 years and is serving as the shop's manager.

The store closed after the previous store managers retired about two years ago, she said.

"I was going to retire in February, and then they said, why don't you part-time manage the bookstore?" Kelley said. "It was a great opportunity because I love books."

LifeSpring clients will also have the opportunity to work at the shop, including adults with a chronic mental illness "who maybe need some skills so they can move on to get other jobs," she said.

Almost all of the books in the shop are used and donated, Kelley said. Most books cost $4 for paperbacks and $5 for hardbacks.

One bookshelf is reserved for books published before 1960.

The space is owned by LifeSpring and is attached to the provider's Jeffersonville location. The remodeled shop features brighter lighting and more space, and the shop has been reorganized.

Kelley has enjoyed taking on an unexpected new role with LifeSpring.

"It's been very exciting just getting to meet people from all over," she said. "People love books, and so it's always nice to connect with those people, and people want to talk about their favorites."

The shop is preparing for the holidays and upcoming "shop local" events, including Jeffersonville Main Street's Holiday Open House on Thursday.

"Because of what downtown Jeffersonville does, the holiday season is a big deal," Kelley said. "We're trying to get as many books as we can on the shelves by next Thursday [for the] first open house, so we've got a bunch going on for the holidays. We have some live music planned."

Starting in January, Jeff Book will launch a book club and present signings for local authors.

The shop's hours are Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

The hours might fluctuate, and Kelley recommends people to check out the "Jeff Book" page on Facebook for updates.