If just one word could describe Turn the Page Bookshop, it would be “timeless.” With its unique mix of modern and antique editions, Turn the Page allows customers to enjoy a varied selection that includes finds as rare as first edition copies of the “Lord of the Rings” series.
A short ten minute bus ride from the College of William and Mary, tucked away in the Williamsburg Premium Outlets near White House Black Market and Banana Republic, a local legend lurks: Turn the Page Bookshop.
The bookstore opened its doors in September 2023 and, according to owner Ralph Tedeschi, is proud to be the only independent store selling both new and used books in the Williamsburg area.
Hailing from Warwick, Rhode Island, Ralph Tedeschi has read and worked in bookstores for a large portion of his life. He worked in a bookstore in the outlets, Book Warehouse, for four years before it closed down.
“It took me about a year and a half, but we opened up this store and it’s independent, no more corporate. We sell new, used and antique books,” Tedeschi said.
According to Tedeschi, Turn the Page aims to activate customers’ sense of nostalgia once they walk through its doors with displays of antique battle figurines, ’80s vinyl records and even a jukebox.
“A lot of people say it’s like going through a time machine,” Tedeschi said. “We go for a Victorian English bookstore feel.
”Though Turn the Page might aim for a vintage appearance, it still stocks up on the latest trending releases. They’ve even bought into a popular library and bookstore trend called “blind date with a book,” where customers pick out a wrapped-up title based only on a brief description of its genre and themes.
One of Tedeschi’s employees initially proposed “blind date with a book” as a holiday-specific draw, but its popularity has kept it around even in September.
“She suggested it right around Valentine’s Day,” he said. “We sold out in like three days. I decided, well, why don’t we do it year-round?”
Turn the Page also makes an effort to help the local community through annual Thanksgiving and Christmas food drives, donations to the Heritage Humane Society, back-to-school book drives and a recent giveaway of free children’s books in remembrance of country singer Dolly Parton.
“We gave out 95 books that day. And it went so well, I’m thinking about doing it maybe even once a month,” Tedeschi said. “The kids loved it, of course, and the parents loved it.”
Tedeschi himself can often be found talking with customers about their literary niches on the bookstore floor. He enjoys interacting with the college students and locals who have become regulars at the store.
“I have tons of people that I know by first name that come in, and I’ll pull a book for them,” he said.
While many customers learn about Turn the Page through word of mouth, some, like Richmond resident Tonya Fells, stumble upon it while shopping at the surrounding outlets.
“I was walking around and I saw this bookstore, and I had to come in,” she said. “I love old books, and I don’t find a lot of places that have collections of old books, so I came in to see if they had anything, and they have some of everything: encyclopedias, art, vintage comics.”
Michele Shave, a Williamsburg resident, also stumbled upon the store her first time visiting. Now, she dedicates her free time to volunteering at the store, acting as a guardian for its literary trove. She says that this role has given her an avenue to share her passion for literary adventures.
Both Shave and Fells praised the store’s wide, somewhat unorthodox selection. Shave especially emphasized the versatility of the fiction, art, history and old books collections.
“There’s something here for everyone,” she said.
Given Williamsburg’s joint roles as a college town, retirement destination and tourist attraction, Turn the Page has begun to find ways to pull the area together, hosting local author visits, poetry slams and even speed dating events.
Above all, Tedeschi emphasized the shop’s role as a center for the local community.
“We’re a community-based store, so we’re not beholden to any corporation or anything like that,” he said. “So you have to help the community out and be part of the community.”
Turn the Page is open on Richmond Road Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The shop also offers a 15% discount for students, faculty and staff at the College.
