By Luana Rocha
The saying “you only live one life” is something we often hear growing up, a phrase meant to motivate us to do something we wouldn’t necessarily do. On the other hand, a reader can confidently refute this claim, as we can live a thousand lives through a simple page flip. Whether it’s a life in which their name is Katniss Everdeen, and they are fighting at the capital, or another one in which they are a student at a wizard school learning how to control their magic. A reader can be transported into a different reality simply by reading a sentence. Diane Garrett is no different; growing up with her mother reading stories to her ultimately instilled in her a love that has followed her throughout her lifetime. After moving to Greenwich from Northern Ontario in Canada, Garrett was bothered by the lack of children’s book stores in the area, taking that as a sign, she began working on her dream. That dream, 35 years later, would be called Diane’s Books. Just off Greenwich Avenue, walking into the gem that is Diane’s Books, people are immediately hit with the warm scent of paper and ink, which belongs to over 35,000 titles that the store holds. Taking the term “ there is a book for everyone,” very literally, Diane has a mix of children’s, young adult, and adult novels ready to bring the right person on a journey.
Since 1990, the store has aimed to encourage more people to become lifelong readers and experience the sensation that a novel can provide. With a passion for making a mark in people’s, and especially in children’s, lives, hearing and looking at those she has impacted keeps her going. “Seeing the light in their eyes is all I ever wanted,” she remarked. Thankfully, she has had the opportunity to do that as the community in the town of Greenwich has constantly embraced her store and has made an effort to come in and find the book for them. With Diane and her staff being called, “The book Matchmakers,” a nickname given due to their ability to help find the perfect book for you, by providing those in store with an idea of what you want, or just simply a description of the mood you want to be in while reading, at Diane’s books you will find what you are looking for. In today’s age, having a bookstore that focuses on making their buyers fall in love with a piece of literature is a rarity, as people often forget the feeling of walking into a bookstore, because now a novel can be waiting at your doorstep with just a simple click on your phone. As a person who values the bond that books can create, Diane is astonished that this has become a normal thing in our lives, saying how, “Online can’t tell what you want to read,” and those who go to her store, “Come to find what they love,” being able to have a raw conversation about the novel ensures that a person will leave happy rather than just reading reviews online. As a result, over time, it becomes less common for her to see families come in. Diane wants parents to tell their children, “Put the screens away and let’s go to the bookstore.” She highlights how there used to be a time when parents would take their kids to the store, and now many kids spend their time on screens. She hopes that her store and its vision can help children obtain that love and motivate the current generation to read more, as she wants, “reading to be fun.
”It is clear that through her store, Diane has made her mark and helped citizens of Greenwich discover the beauty in books- by participating in the Greenwich United Way’s Reading Champions volunteer celebration and attending reading sessions at schools such as Hamilton Avenue, Julian Curtiss, and New Lebanon, creating a love of reading amidst students. As a way to give back to her community and inspire others, Diane has also organized an Angel Tree Program, where people can donate a book as a gift for children. In recognition of her impact on the town of Greenwich, Diane Garrett was awarded the Malcolm S. Pray Excellence in Business Award, an honor given to businesses that provide significant service to their community.
However, despite the community’s years of support, Diane remains concerned that, after 35 years, the town has yet to make parking accommodations for her store, which she views as a “travesty.” It is very difficult to visit the store due to the terrible parking spaces, which she is still fighting for. Nevertheless, Diane takes pride in what she has accomplished, as she can see the people in town’s love for her and her store. She explains that she admires how people look past this and find a way to come in anyway, and that she feels as though those in town “ have embraced her, “or I wouldn’t have been there for 35 years.”
With countless books read throughout her life, Diane believes that every household in town should read D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths, but not just to themselves; she makes a point that everybody should sit down and read it aloud, Something she has done for her children and grandchildren until they went to college. She emphasizes that this is not just a book you read when you are young; it is a book that you must reread at twelve, fifteen, eighteen, and so on. Overall, Diane’s book is a piece that strikes a chord with the community, and Diane is grateful that her store can touch the hearts of both the smallest and the biggest. She hopes to continue helping people grow not only as readers but as individuals.
