Episode #404 "One For The Books"

  Hilton and Pauline are browsing at the neighborhood bookstore and learn from Max, the owner, that times are tough for independent booksellers. He’s losing customers to superstores and Amazon.com. He extends credit to customers and doesn’t get paid, his bills are puling up, he’s lonely and hasn’t seen the sun in weeks. In fact, he feels like an old man at age 38. As he’s telling his sad tale, he learns that one of his distributors has cut him off because of bad credit. At home, when Hilton comes back without the book he was looking for, Erica asks why he still goes to the bookstore. They never have what he wants. Hilton says he’s been visiting the store for years and Max is like an old friend. Ruth, Pauline and Hilton go back to the bookstore. Ruth and Pauline plan to offer Max a little business advice, but he tells them it’s too late. A fried chicken place wants to buy the building and he’s going to take their offer. But where, they ask, are people going to go who wants books? Ruth decides on the spot that they’ll expend their café to include a bookstore; Pauline agrees and max throws in his inventory for free.