CHESHIRE, Conn. — Story by Dyllan Siegmund
Located in the small town of Cheshire, the freshly-opened store, Re-Read Books & More, dedicates itself to bringing a large variety of books and genres to people of all ages. “We never had a bookstore like this in Cheshire for probably decades and like whenever we get a customer, they say, ‘Oh, I love your bookstore’.”
“Well the nice thing about Re-Read Books is that all our inventory is donated, so we don’t have that expense of filling up our store.” As an effect of the pandemic, community leaders have noticed a surge in lost jobs for young adults with developmental disabilities.
In order to raise awareness for these individuals, the Connecticut Community Empowerment Foundation was formed; and from it came the idea of Re-Read Books. “There are lots of benefits to employing individuals with special needs. To begin with, whenever anyone is productively engaged in any area of occupation, it helps with their self esteem.”
The staff at Re-Read Books work hard each day to stay engaged in the community. Hosting educational workshops for families and various social activities, Re-Read Books strives to create a place in town that can benefit the entire community, as well as provide occupational opportunities for young adults with special needs.
“The best part about working here is my co-workers, my job coach, and just seeing people who I know in town.”