The City of Wayne Green Team presented The Recycled Read bookstore with its Zero Hero award, recognizing outstanding work in reducing, reusing, and recycling within the community of Wayne.
Operated by the Friends of the Wayne Public Library, The Recycled Read opened in February 2023 selling used books, magazines, games, CDs, DVDs, and more. Nothing costs more than $1 and many items are only 25 cents or less.
The Recycled Read bookstore has become a popular place. Since opening, it has been visited by more than 850 customers (many from out of town), open 28 days for nearly 100 hours, and raised over $4,000 from the sale of used materials. All funds raised are donated back to the Wayne Public Library.
The bookstore is staffed solely by volunteers. More than 50 volunteers have donated over 350 hours of time to set up the space, process donations, and operate the store. With a constant flow of used books coming in and out, the same item is often sold multiple times when customers donate it back after reading. An estimate of more than 20,000 items have been sold at The Recycled Read in just over a year, and the number keeps growing with each open hour.
“We are thrilled to recognize The Recycled Read as a thriving business dedicated to the sale of used materials,” said Sandy Brown, chair of the City of Wayne Green Team.“This used bookstore attracts visitors to Wayne and contributes to our economy as a leader in sustainability. We thank the Friends of the Wayne Public Library for their hard work at creating such a successful green business, and we congratulate The Recycled Read for being this year’s Zero Hero.”
The Recycled Read is open the first Saturday of every month, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., and often for special occasions and sales, such as during garage sale weekends. It is located at 110 S. Logan Street in Wayne. Customers are welcome to bring donations of books, magazines, games, puzzles, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, and sheet music to donate when they visit, or they can drop off donations at the Wayne Public Library. The bookstore does not accept encyclopedias, textbooks, or any moldy or damaged books.
For more information about The Recycled Read, follow the “Friends of the Wayne Public Library” Facebook page or contact folwpl@gmail.com.
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Founded in 2009, the Wayne Green Team is a group of community volunteers, city personnel and Wayne State College partners focused on minimizing waste and increasing sustainable behavior. Find more information about the Wayne Green Team on Facebook and at www.cityofwayne.org/greenteam.
