The Reading Reptile Story

According to the Missouri Secretary of State, the Reading Reptile, Books & Tapes for Young Mammals, appeared in Kansas City, Missouri on May 22, 1988. That much is true. Other details about the store's origin and early history are sketchy, at best. Some accounts describe a young woman from New York in her mid-20's, "oddly frocked and unversed in simple scripture," arriving in Kansas City sometime in March of 1988. The same accounts contend that she "had not a dollar to her name, yet somehow wrought a storefront from the ether ... it was the devil's work ..."

Another observer writes, "There were strange things happening in the Westport area in the Spring of 1988. Nobody liked to talk about it. On many nights, after the bars closed, a powerful light would appear above the old trolley station, a blinding beacon of energy from the heavens. It was right around that same time when the Reading Reptile appeared, and that woman."

"That woman" was Debbie Reptile, and she opened her book store with a respectable stock and a steady schedule of Story Hours. As with any such enterprise, business began fitfully. But the market was untapped, and word of Debbie's eerie encyclopedic knowledge of children's books soon got around. Sales increased and the Reading Reptile began to grow. But that growth was threatened by the arrival of a menacing presence in the fall of 1988. As one observer noted, "Boyfriends make bad business partners."

The boyfriend in question drifted into Kansas City on a wave of misfortune. A penniless, art school dropout, Pete Reptile was described by many as "the sort of person that made you glad Reagan was president, in spite of yourself." He possessed virtually no knowledge of children's litrerature and had very few apparent skills. Those who had become fond of Debbie and the Reading Reptile regarded him with suspicion. But none of this seemed to bother Debbie. With three sheets to the wind, they were married before anyone could say "marriage counselor."

The wedding itself did little to stem the nagging doubts among customers close to the Reading Reptile that Debbie was making a big mistake. Consumer confidence sagged. This was a critical juncture in the Reptile's early history. In a move that would become a hallmark of the Reading Reptile, Debbie and Pete ignored their customers entirely.

To many, this would seem like a suicidal business philosophy. But in fact, by subverting the traditional American business model, the Reading Reptile was laying the groundwork for its future survival. As one customer relates, "When I first encountered the Reading Reptile in 1990, I remember thinking 'these people are nuts!' It was like walking into somebody's livingroom, and nobody seemed very 'official'. I tripped over some toys on the floor and a lady came around the corner nursing a baby. It was the owner! I about died." The customer continues, "If I'd been alone, I would have walked out of that store and never looked back. But my kids were with me, and they just loved it there. What could I do?"

It was just this sort of perverse customer loyalty that fortified the Reading Reptile for what would soon be the fight of its life.

By 1993, the Reading Reptile had an expanded schedule of story hours, a Friday night film series, book clubs and a growing mailing list. Book sales were steady and the inventory had grown dramatically in just a few short years. Authors began to appear regularly at the store. Everything was moving in the right direction.

TO BE CONTINUED...