Cherished bookstore is saved by the Medfield community
When the owner of Park Street Books and Toys thought the store would be closing for good, the community stepped in.
IT’S ABOUT TO SEE A NEW CHAPTER. IF BOOKS ARE PORTALS TO OTHER WORLDS, WHEN YOU READ A BOOK, YOU JUST KIND OF GET SUCKED INTO THAT WORLD. THEN THIS BELOVED MEDFIELD STORE IS A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION. IT HAS LOTS OF GOOD BOOKS AND ALSO IT’S CHILD HEAVEN GUIDING ALL THOSE JOURNEYS IS JIM JAMES, OWNER OF PARK STREET BOOKS AND TOYS. I LOVE WORKING WITH KIDS AND WITH BOOKS, SO THIS IS PERFECT. JAMES OPENED THE STORE AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF TEACHING PRESCHOOL WHILE THE ORIGINAL LOCATION WAS IN WALPOLE, BUT JAMES LATER MADE THE MOVE TO MEDFIELD, AND THE BUILDING WAS BUILT IN 1923. SO IT’S 100 YEARS OLD AND IN ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO WE TOOK IT OVER BECAUSE I WALKED IN AND IT JUST LOOKS LIKE IT HAS TO BE A BOOKSTORE. SO THAT’S WHAT IT BECAME. THE FUN HERE ISN’T LIMITED TO READING. THERE ARE SHELVES OF PUZZLES, GAMES AND TOYS, PLUS A POTTERY PAINTING STUDIO. IT’S ALL THINGS IN THE REALM OF CREATIVITY, IN THE REALM OF IDEAS AND EXPANSION OF YOUR MIND AND COMMUNITY TOO. IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER. WE MOVED HERE IN 2018. I REMEMBER SEEING ALL THE MURALS AROUND AND KNOWING THAT THIS WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A SPECIAL KIND OF PLACE FOR A LITTLE KID GROWING UP. YOU THINK? YEAH, FOR A FEW WEEKS IN THE FALL OF 2023, IT LOOKED LIKE THE STORY WAS COMING TO AN END AT PARK STREET BOOKS, JAMES POSTED A MESSAGE TO THE STORE’S FACEBOOK PAGE SAYING HE WAS CLOSING UP AND SELLING THE BUILDING. THERE WAS SUCH AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT, PEOPLE TELLING US HOW IMPORTANT WE ARE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN LOTS OF PEOPLE STARTED COMING IN, WRITING LETTERS AND ALSO EMAILING. AND SO SAYING THAT THEY WANTED TO TAKE OVER THE STORE. JAMES SAYS WHILE HE LOVES BEING IN THE STORE, THE WORK OF RUNNING A BUSINESS WAS BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT. HE HOPES THERE’S A NEW CHAPTER TO COME FOR PARK STREET BOOKS. IT’S HUMBLING BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE CREATED SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE LOVE, AND I DIDN’T KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT. I ALWAYS COME HERE TO SHOP FOR MY FRIEND’S BIRTHDAY. SO I LOVE HOW THERE’S LIKE A VARIETY OF BOOKS AND CRAFTS AND POTTERY AND ALL THAT STUFF. I NEVER KNOW WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR. I ALWAYS HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING NEW BECAUSE THERE’S ALWAYS GREAT AND AMAZING BOOKS. THAT’S SO CUTE. AND JIM JAMES SAYS THERE COULD SOON BE NEWS ABOUT A NEW OWNER OF PARK STREET BOOKS AND TOYS. WE SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT PARK STREET BOOKS IS NOT ON PARK STREET IN MEDFIELD ACTUALLY USED TO BE ON PARK STREET, BUT NOW IT’S ON MAIN STREET STREET. BUT WHEN JIM MOVED, IT, HE DIDN’T WANT TO CHANGE THE NAME BECAUSE IT WAS SO WELL KNOWN. PARK STREET BOOKS ON MAIN STREET. THAT’S CHRONICLE FOR TONIGHT. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US EVERYONE. I’
Cherished bookstore is saved by the Medfield community
When the owner of Park Street Books and Toys thought the store would be closing for good, the community stepped in.
Updated: 8:30 PM EST Dec 7, 2023
A beloved store in Medfield doubles as a portal to other worlds. Park Street Books and Toys is packed with stories, puzzles, and games, plus a pottery painting studio. For a few weeks in 2023, it looked like the story was coming to an end at Park Street Books. Owner Jim James posted a message to the store’s Facebook page, saying he was closing up and selling the building. After an outpouring of support and offers to take over the business, James said he was in discussions to find a new owner.
A beloved store in Medfield doubles as a portal to other worlds. Park Street Books and Toys is packed with stories, puzzles, and games, plus a pottery painting studio. For a few weeks in 2023, it looked like the story was coming to an end at Park Street Books.
Owner Jim James posted a message to the store’s Facebook page, saying he was closing up and selling the building. After an outpouring of support and offers to take over the business, James said he was in discussions to find a new owner.
