Community comes together to keep independent bookstore afloat

Books seem to spill out of every nook and cranny at Bad Rock Books in Columbia Falls.

Tomes fill shelf upon shelf, the excess overflowing into piles on tables while other volumes find temporary purchase on carts or boxes, awaiting precious display space.

There’s a small corner in the back that’s outfitted with tea and coffee accoutrements — an unspoken invitation to patrons that says: grab a book, sit down and stay a while. But the eclectic mom-and-pop ambiance isn’t complete without the store’s permanent residents — a trio of cats, who by chance or fate had no home of their own until proprietor Cindy Ritter took them in. Miss Bailey Page Dickens was found sitting on a windowsill of the cafe one door down in the first snowstorm of winter. Miss Poe came by way of Glacier Animal Hospital after staff identified heart and joint problems that likely would have been a death sentence if she were sent to a traditional shelter. And the latest arrival is the cream-colored, and very vocal Sweet Pete, aptly named for his loving disposition.

For the felines, Bad Rock Books is home.

For owner Cindy Ritter, it’s a place where magic happens.

In her 10 years betwixt the shelves, she’s observed in delight as customers explore the shop’s 20,000 titles — and counting, as friendships form between the stacks and while non-cat people are won over by the shop’s feline residents crawling into their laps.

THIS WHOLESOME community gem was in jeopardy this summer, however. A high-pitched whine in the front right corner that Ritter heard in the spring turned out to be a water leak that came with a hefty price tag. The estimate for repairs came in just under $14,000, a staggering figure for a shop that barely finishes in the black each year.

It was a labor of love for Ritter, and one that came to her purely by fate.

Bad Rock Books was founded by Carol Rocks in 1997. Those who knew her would describe her as a gruff woman, Ritter said, a little rough around the edges, but soft on the inside. Rocks and Ritter began an over-the-counter friendship at the Whistle Stop Cafe — now the Outlaw Diner — where Rocks was a regular. Ritter poured coffee and the two got to talking.

In 2011, Rocks shared the news that she’d be diagnosed with cancer and asked if Ritter would be interested in helping out at the bookstore now and again? She said yes. At first Ritter stopped by a few days a week, but before long she was there daily. Meanwhile, Rocks’ cancer continued to progress, despite her tough exterior and fighting spirit.

Ritter began driving her to her doctor appointments and their connection grew deeper. The line between employee and friend had long been blurred.

“She really taught me not to be so sensitive, she really brought me out of my shell,” Ritter said.

In 2016, as she was losing ground to cancer, Rocks revealed her plans for the bookstore.

After she died, Bad Rock Books would go to Ritter. The announcement left her dear friend speechless.

“When she passed away in December 2016, she willed the store to me,” Ritter said, the sense of awe and gratitude still evident in her voice. “It was truly a gift — but a real gift to our community. There’s people that have been coming here since they were kids.”

BAD ROCK Books was by no means a get rich quick operation, or even a get rich slow one, but after a couple of years in Ritter’s hands the store was supporting itself.

To make it pencil, she doesn’t take a salary herself, and relies on a pool of volunteers to staff the shop. Margins are tight, but they make it work, not wanting Columbia Falls to lose its sole independent bookstore to the changing times.

Fast-forward to this past summer. When Ritter recovered from the sticker-shock of her impending repair bills, she weighed multiple options. She applied for grants, but was awarded none. A loan was the next logical choice, but given the shop’s already thin profits, coupled with the uncertainty of reopening during a pandemic, she didn’t feel that was a safe bet, either.

Upon learning of Ritter’s dilemma, two local writers’ groups, the Montana Women Writers and Authors of the Flathead, offered an alternative plan: set up a GoFundMe crowdfunding page, in hopes of raising the money locally. The fund was established Sept. 30 and over the coming weeks, the community stepped up in force.

“Reading is more important now than ever before, between the pandemic, the politics, and the pestilence of 2020! Let's keep a bookstore in CFalls,” donor Courtney Stone wrote.

“Local businesses are what make our community, and books are the gateway to the imagination,” Clint Peters commented. “I can’t imagine being without either.”

And fellow bookseller, This House of Books in Billings, exclaimed in solidarity: “Viva Indie Bookstores!!”

Other contributors called Ritter herself “a gem” and the store a great place for “books and cat therapy.”

The community had spoken and together their voice was loud.

By Oct. 22, a grand total of $14,420 had been raised thanks to the generosity of 162 donors. Contributions ranged from $5 to an anonymous gift of $2,500, from individuals and business owners near and far. With the money in hand, RItter was happy to report that repairs are tentatively planned for December and in the meantime, Bad Rock Books will be open three days a week.

“I was so blown away. I was in tears every day. How cool is it that people think books are that important?” Ritter said.

She’d long seen joy come in and out of her doors — people interacting with books and cats and even herself — that filled her heart with a richness that no dollar could provide. The donations were proof that the patrons were equally touched, that this little place in this little town meant something to them, too.

“All people are going through so much and that they were able to reach out and help this place. I don't know how I’ll ever repay that,” Ritter said. “It’s almost as if this place has its own plan and I’m just along for the ride … It has a mission to enlighten and love as many people as it can -- and I get to be here and watch it happen.”

Reporter Mackenzie Reiss may be reached at 758-4433 or mreiss@dailyinterlake.com.

BREAKOUT

Visit the store

Bad Rock Books is located at 615 Nucleus Avenue in Columbia Falls. The store is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Book purchases can be arranged by appointment outside of store hours by calling 406-892-0515.