By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
Graduations, birthdays, July 4th and even into Christmas, Books Are Fun has all the right gifts, with 30 to 70 percent off retail.
“We also offer a 10 to 20 percent rebate depending on where we are demographically and what we are projecting to do in sales,” said Mike Tuttle of New Glouster, Books Are Fun representative.
Tuttle and his wife, Carolyn, will have tables set up in the main hallway of Houlton Regional Hospital tomorrow and Friday, June 5-6, with special bargains.
Pioneer Times Photo/Gloria Austin
FUN WITH BOOKS — Denise Brown, left, along with Mike and Carolyn Tuttle check out some of the books from their visit to Houlton Regional Hospital last spring. The Tuttles will be back June 5-6 with more special bargains.
“The hospital’s Special Events Team sponsors a book fair as a way to raise funds to help with employee activities such as door prizes for our annual picnic and employee appreciation luncheons,” said Lisa Perfitt of HRH. “The Tuttle’s bring a lot of enthusiasm to their book fairs and we’ve enjoyed working with them,” she said.
However, the best part of Books Are Fun is that the Tuttles return 10 percent of their net sales back to the local hospital.
“We are not so concerned about profit,” said Tuttle. “We are more concerned about how we can help the communities we go to.”
The Tuttles travels as far north as Fort Kent and Caribou (Cary Medical Center) and as far south as Houlton and Calais.
“We go all over the state,” said Tuttle. “We have about every hospital, nursing home, rehabilitation center and corporation in the state.”
Books Are Fun also has a school representative, as well.
Merchandise ranges from books, toys, home décor to items seen on television and the even more unique products such as a kaleidoscope.
“We have something for everyone from zero to 92,” said Tuttle.
It will take two to three hours to set up the “store,” which will extend nearly the full length of the hallway of Houlton Regional Hospital.
“We love it here,” said Tuttle. “Houlton was our first event. We got out of the truck shaking and did not know what we were in for. We had three tables of our own. We went from four tables to 15.”
And another bonus, Books Are Fun is not just for hospital employees. The Tuttles invite anyone in the community to be their guests.
“People are happy with the product,” Tuttle explained. “We are always looking for ways to help our guests. We love what we do and we are paying it forward.”
The last gathering the Tuttles had for Books Are Fun at HRH was in April.
“Houlton is family,” said Tuttle. “Everyone knows us. We want to be considered as family and not as a vendor. We do not come to take people’s money and leave. A percentage of the sales stay in Houlton. That is the way it should be and this is how we feel, as well.”
The Tuttles are conscientious of the fact that Maine is economically hurting. So, the Tuttles will accept payments in cash, check or credit. They will also hold a postdated check up to two weeks in the summer and up to four weeks in the fall.
“Hey, I am a Mainer, and I want to make sure we take care of everybody,” Tuttle added.
The Tuttles are also working on a three-pay system for the fall event at Houlton Regional Hospital on November 25-26.
“If someone spends $150, it would be broken into $50 payments for three months,” Tuttle explained. “We offer this [advantage] because we run the business like we would want to be treated if we were on the other side of the register.”
Through Books Are Fun, the Tuttles offer gatherings for food drives, giving trees to a backpack program. At food drives, Books Are Fun brings in 50 to 60 pounds of food, as well as $30 to $40 worth of toiletries. The Tuttles match the gifts. For the backpack program, every $200 that goes through the register in lieu of a rebate, a backpack with school supplies is packed and shipped from Colorado to the school with a note, and the Tuttles match it.
No matter where the Tuttles go, they are always willing to help organizations with their causes.
“And, you get service with a smile,” Tuttle added.
Books Are Fun will also be at Cary Medical Center on Aug. 27, back to Houlton Regional Hospital on Nov. 25-26 and at Northern Maine Medical Oct. 30-31.
