Pig Iron Press to open bookstore

April 30, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

By GUY D’ASTOLFO

YOUNGSTOWN

A used bookstore will open Saturday in the Pig Iron Press building downtown.

Lost Pages Bookstore will specialize in older used books and magazines “for the curious eye or the inquisitive collector,” according to owner Jim Villani.

The store will occupy the first floor of the Pig Iron building at 26 N. Phelps St. It will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily, beginning next week.

Villani almost lost the building last month when it was sold at sheriff’s sale for unpaid real-estate taxes. But Villani was able to negate the sale and retain ownership by coming up with the $1,328 that he owed.

Villani owns the building and Pig Iron Press, which will remain on the site. He told The Vindicator that he has been working on opening a bookstore for a year. “I plan on staying downtown,” he said.

Villani will own and operate the bookstore, and Carol Behne of Hubbard will be the store manager.

He has an inventory of 2,000 used books of various ages and has displayed them on shelves in alphabetical order by author and separated by genre.

Signage in the storefront will mark the bookstore, as will displays in the windows, and a sidewalk sign will be placed in front of the business, said Villani.

To restock, books will be obtained from auctions, gifts, estate sales and through the purchase of private collections.

Pig Iron Press and its copying service also will remain on the first floor.

Villani, who is a college instructor, started the independent publishing company 40 years ago and has since published 125 titles. He purchased the three-story building, built in 1910, 20 years ago.

In addition to Pig Iron Press, the building also is used for poetry readings and other literary events.