Right now, Gladewater Books new set hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 1-6 Sundays as Harold Wells gets the business up-and-running again. He’s eager to continue the legacy of former attorney and longtime bookseller Pete Adams, who died in October 2024. (Top) Former Gladewater mayor and longtime State Farm Agent Harold Wells is embracing his new role as bookseller, cashing out downtown visitor Kim Boyd and her stack of finds Saturday at Gladewater Books.
Harold Wells chuckles at the question. No, he’s not much of a reader himself.
He enjoys the people who enjoy books, though, and he’s really digging into being a bookseller.
“I had to chase some folks out yesterday!” the former Gladewater mayor and veteran insurance agent quipped Saturday morning.
He was in the thick of it again early on May 10 as about a dozen customers browsed the bulging stacks of Gladewater Books at 109 E. Pacific.
Wells is keen to honor his predecessor’s legacy at the store – Pete Adams’ death last fall left a void downtown. The former attorney was a fixture, minding the double-fronted space across the railroad tracks from the law firm of his wife, Elizabeth DeRieux. For many in Gladewater (and beyond) it’s a relief to see an ‘Open’ sign on the door of Adam’s longtime labor of love.
“You had to buy the building with all the contents. There’s 40,000 books here and 40,000 in storage,” Wells says. No problem. Hand-in-hand with his wife, Linda, “We want to keep the bookstore going.”
The building itself goes back to the 1930s. Two-in-one, the space once housed Uptown Dress Shop and Daniel’s, Wells says, providing plenty of space for bookshelves.
It’s a cozy labyrinth today, of course, worn wood floors and high ceilings. Old fans keep the air moving, carrying the unmistakable aroma of oft-turned pages.