Jonah Tomarchio
Teresa Steele and Revati Kilaparti stand in front of the science fiction section in Old Firehouse Books Feb. 13. "I've met people that I now know by name," Steele said. "We talk about books that they've come in to read."
Susie Wilmer purchased the Book Rack of Fort Collins, a used paperback store, from owner Bill Hawk in 2001, who opened the Book Rack in 1980. Over the next 25 years, Wilmer increased the store’s used book collection, started ordering and selling new books and moved to the historic Fort Collins Old Firehouse in 2009. To match the new setting, Wilmer turned the Book Rack of Fort Collins into Old Firehouse Books.
After 25 years of ownership, Wilmer decided it was time to retire. Before doing so, she sold the bookstore to two of her longtime employees: Teresa Steele and Revati Kilaparti.
The store’s staff discussed a sale one year prior to its eventual purchase. On Jan. 1, Steele and Kilaparti became co-owners of the bookstore.
“I know it’s a big step for (Wilmer), but I’m happy for her,” Kilaparti said. “She needs some time for herself. I’m happy for her. Now I wonder how to keep going and the next steps for what we will do.”
Steele has been with Old Firehouse Books for more than 11 years as a bookseller and then a bookkeeper. She decided to pursue ownership with the support of her family and the partnership of Kilaparti.
“I have a daughter who is 11, and we’re in that age where we don’t want to move because friends and family are here,” Steele said. “When Susie said she was thinking about selling the store, my husband and I were like, ‘That’s something we could pursue.’”
Kilaparti has worked off and on with Old Firehouse Books for 17 years and taken on several roles during that time. The new owners said they aren’t planning to change much about the bookstore at first in order to get acclimated with shifting responsibilities.
“Nothing much will change, especially in the first year,” Kilaparti said. “We want to get our feet under us and have our bills paid. We’re making sure to dot our i’s and cross our t’s.”
Steele and Kilaparti employ skills they learned from bookselling and bookkeeping to help them thrive as new owners. Namely, they credited their experiences interacting with customers to help the business run better.
“It’s the everyday people you get to meet,” Steele said. “It’s fun. I have people that I call ‘bookstore friends’ who come in and I know them by name. It’s been good for me to figure out what the community wants and needs.”
Steele and Kilaparti’s experiences at and expertise of Old Firehouse Books garners trust in their ownership of the bookstore. The new owners said they remain committed to maintaining Old Firehouse’s legacy within Fort Collins. The role the bookstore serves in the downtown Fort Collins community is a core part of the store’s identity, according to both the owners and the staff.
“(Steele and Kilaparti) are very community-focused,” said Zane Schneider, an Old Firehouse Books bookseller. “One of the reasons I love working here is that we’re such a big part of the community. We’re able to do a lot of things for authors and uplifting voices that wouldn’t get uplifted. That will always be a big focus.”
Steele and Kilaparti said the community outreach from Old Firehouse Books is one reason why their bookstore retains success. The new owners plan to keep most things about Old Firehouse the same, including upholding the goodwill the bookstore has built in Old Town and among Fort Collins communities at large.
“Nowadays, people care more about where their dollars go and are more thoughtful about that, even if money is tight all around,” Kilaparti said. “People put their money in places they care about, and having a bookstore in town is something they care about. We’re lucky to be part of a conscious decision to help support us and keep us going.”
Steele and Kilaparti said the theme for their first year as owners is getting used to the position change.
“The day-to-day basis hasn’t changed a whole lot,” Steele said. “It’s still surreal, when I think about it. When people ask what I do, I usually say, ‘I work at Old Firehouse.’ Now I can say, ‘I own Old Firehouse.’”
Reach Robert Sides at life@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.