“If you believe in something, it’s worth doing.”
“I was never a dabbler. I decided either I was doing it or I was not doing it. And if I was doing it, I would do it 110 per cent,” says Mary Klassen, reflecting on the years she volunteered with book sales at Sam’s Place, a volunteer-run café run by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in the Elmwood community of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
In addition to selling fresh baked goods and specialty coffee, Sam’s Place also sells a wide variety of books. The social enterprise first opened in 2009, and since then, a rich community of volunteers, visitors and staff has grown.
At first, Klassen had no intention of volunteering. Book sales at Sam’s Place started when Gerald Thiessen set up a bookstore to sell from his personal collection. Klassen’s interest grew as she watched Thiessen sell his books. That's when she decided to step into the role to help look after the books.
“My whole purpose was to keep the idea alive,” says Klassen.
With a passion for people and books after her career as a teacher, Klassen valued the space Sam’s Place created for people to connect over books, coffee and life. As her passion to keep the idea alive grew, so did the Sam’s Place community.
Another volunteer, James Neufeld, worked alongside Klassen and together they expanded the sales of the bookstore.
Neufeld started at Sam’s Place two months after it first opened in May 2009. He was the first to realize there were rare books sitting on the shelves for sale in the café’s storefront.
“One thing you can say about rare books, they don’t look like much,” says Neufeld.
“One thing you can say about rare books, they don’t look like much,” he said. After that, Neufeld started going through the collection off the floor to spot the hidden rare books.
Most of his time was spent organizing and categorizing the rare book collection and from that point on, as Neufeld puts it, “I just sort of stayed on as a consulting bookseller.”
By combining their talents, the two transformed not only the book sales, but the community of Sam’s Place. As Neufeld expanded the reach of the rare book sales across the world by using an online bookstore, Klassen would take time to locate, deliver and assist in the book sales.
“If you’re going to make a go of it as a bookshop, you’re going to have to be on the internet,” Neufeld says about the potential to turn a profit from the rare book collection. With its online presence the rare books collection at Sam’s Place, consisting of books out of print, specialty collections and Mennonite books, became a part of the major market in its area within a few years.
Profit, however, was never the sole priority. It was a passion for books, community and MCC that remained the focal point of book sales at Sam’s Place over the years.
“My aim was always to look after the books, collecting them, taking care of them, selling them and getting them out to the people,” says Klassen.
Klassen’s care for the community meant she would even bring the bookstore to those who couldn’t get there themselves. Visiting individuals in long-term care homes, Klassen would bring collections to seniors bringing her company and the books.
“Every penny went to MCC,” Klassen proudly explains.
There are countless times when a customer would ask for a specific book and Klassen would instantly know of which book they were inquiring about and know exactly where to find it, says Laura Murray, youth and volunteer engagement coordinator.
"It was rare for Mary to not know of a book, its author, and location in Sam’s Place. People would come in and ask for Mary, or as some would say 'the really nice librarian' because they wanted to be able to talk about books and knew she would have a knowledge and passion for them."
"It was rare for Mary to not know of a book, its author, and location in Sam’s Place. People would come in and ask for Mary, or as some would say 'the really nice librarian' because they wanted to be able to talk about books and knew she would have a knowledge and passion for them."
Murray recalls taking a phone call from someone at the New York Times asking for a specific rare book. She passed on the information to Klassen and Neufeld and in a split second they knew exactly which book and were on their way to getting the order prepared. They wrapped it, got it shipped off immediately and the book arrived overnight.
"The teamwork and passion they displayed was admirable," says Murray.
Over the 11 years, Klassen and Neufeld worked hard to maximize their growth, yet they know they didn't get there on their own. The Sam’s Place collection is built entirely from donations of many people looking to downsize or pass on their collections to a place that would take care of the books.
“You never know what kind of books are going to come in next and the kinds of people you meet,” says Neufeld.
During the onset of COVID-19, Sam’s Place temporarily closed and was forced to adjust to the new pandemic realities. Part of these changes involved Klassen and Neufeld concluding their volunteerism with the book sales.
“I’m so grateful for Mary and James and all of the amazing work they’ve done with book sales at Sam’s Place. They will be missed,” said Alison Greenslade, manager of Sam’s Place.
Students participating in the youth and young adult program will pick up book sales as part of their training with Sam’s Place, she said.
“If you believe in something, it’s worth doing,” says Klassen.
After nearly a decade as a book volunteer at Sam’s Place, Klassen leaves her role knowing “If you believe in something, it’s worth doing.”
To learn more about Sam’s Place visit http://sams.place.
Written with files from staff writer Allison Zacharias.