"When John Landon talks about the long, successful run of the Brewster Book Store, he credits friends and, most especially, his late wife, Nancy," Cape Cod Times noted in its q&a with the owner of the Brewster, Mass., business, as well as manager Valerie Arroyo. Among our favorite exchanges: 
What is the most important thing your business does?
John Landon: We provide books for the community and for people who come to the Cape for vacation. We have a fairly sizable inventory and we keep up with it. We also work a lot with the local schools and library. We sell traditional books and e-books and have book signings.
Valerie Arroyo: Over the years, there has been doom and gloom over Amazon, e-books and wondering if bookstores can be viable. We've managed to stay viable by doing what we do best, which is offering personalized customer service that people appreciate. We've become a summer destination for a lot of people. They come back every year.
How has the market changed since your business started?
VA: One of the changes is that people are much more aware of buying local. We feel blessed to be a part of this community. Another change is in children's books--anywhere from baby to young adult. They're better than they've ever been and we have so many more options now.... Book clubs have exploded in the last few years. We get a lot of business from those folks looking for recommendations and to make purchases.
What are your plans for your business' future?
JL: To continue the way it's going. The people who work at the bookstore are really good with customers and they really know the books. We want to continue to be a service to the public.
What's the best thing about having a business on Cape Cod?
VA: It's definitely our customers. We meet such a wide variety of people. Working here feels like being among friends and you're talking about books, which is always fun. It's not work at all.
JL: I love people and I talk to people from all over the world who come into the bookstore, though I'm not there much anymore. This is my first full year of retirement. But Nancy got her wish. She got her bookstore and it is a great bookstore.
