WLM | shop
WLM | shop
A Tale of Three Stores
WANDER IN FOR
SOMETHING WONDERFUL in Wheatland
By Kati Hime Images Courtesy The Wandering Hermit
Looking for a good bookstore ? They are becoming harder to find nowadays . The large chains have reduced rather dramatically , with Laramie and Rock Springs ( that I know of ) both losing their Hastings locations in the fall of 2016 . However , the Mom & Pop bookstore is alive in Wyoming , and in the case of Wheatland ’ s The Wandering Hermit Books & Gifts , is also thriving .
When it really comes down to it , an intimate bookstore can be a reading nut ’ s best friend . The Wandering Hermit carries a wide selection of new and used books , and special orders are always welcome . Not only does the shop offer over 12,000 new books in stock , they carry about 2,000 used books , CDs , DVDs and puzzles . They offer a large variety of Wyoming , Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone National Park books , maps and pamphlets . But it ’ s also the attentive staff that can make the intimate bookstore especially valuable . Owner Dan Brecht , whose passion for business in Wheatland is well known throughout Wyoming , is a retired school teacher who was ready for a new project . Dan ’ s son Zach was also ready for a change of pace , and had valuable skills to lend to the new store . “ Zach had been working for several years at Lowe ’ s in Cheyenne and was ready for something different – he was also interested in moving back to Wheatland ,” Dan explains . “ He had worked at the library during his four years of high school , { as well as } Barnes and Noble in Cheyenne for about a year .” Zach brought his experience to The Wandering Hermit not only in terms of books , but also in his experience as a barista while at Barnes and Noble in Cheyenne .
28 Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine | Winter & Holiday 2016