Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published August 14, 2020.

Where are you from? How did you end up in Rochester?

I’m originally from Baltimore, Maryland; I’m a Maryland girl at heart. I moved up here to be with my fiance, and before moving, I didn’t realize you couldn’t get crabs up here! It was devastating. I ended up really liking Rochester though.

What are some hidden gems you've discovered around Rochester?

It’s not necessarily hidden, but my favorite coffee shop is Cafe Sasso. I go there a lot! Adobe is super cool. The Goodwill on South Clinton and Rick’s Recycled Books are some of my other favorite places to go.

If you had $100 and two hours to kill, how would you spend the money/time?

I’d definitely go thrifting! I’d go to the Op Shop next to Ugly Duck and to Little Shop of Hoarders in the Wedge.

What's your favorite way you've supported local during COVID?

If I could find something locally that I’d normally buy at Target or Amazon, I’d get it from a local small business. It’s so important to support your local community. I’d also do a lot of online shopping so I’d get little packages all the time with little surprises for myself!

If you could only eat one Rochester food for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

I’m obsessed with the Voodoo Child sandwich at Sasso. It’s got spicy mayo, chicken, and peppers and it’s so good. I also love the Harvard sandwich from Magnolia’s.

What's one memory that captures what Rochester means to you? 

Recently, three of my friends and I decided to go to this hidden beach. We got drinks, food, and spent the whole day talking about business plans and how we can collaborate with each other. It was really fun! My circle in Rochester is very creative and very unconventional.

What makes Rochester unique? 

The community is so close. My first job here was at Glen Edith, and from that first experience, I’ve had friends introduce me to other great friends. It’s a small, cool, close-knit community and everyone has their own creative thing. I’d never seen something like it, even though Baltimore has a great creative community. I was just surprised by how quirky Rochester is.

What would you like to see change in Rochester over the next year? 

A little bit more diversity. I live in Park Ave and it’s very homogenous. I’m kind of surprised by how supportive Rochester has been of social justice issues, but it makes me hopeful! There’s work that needs to be done, but people are willing to do it.

If Rochester was a book, what genre would it be? 

Definitely art history! There’s so many cool artists, graffiti around the city, installations, and it’s all tied to the history of the city, which is super cool. 

Tell me about your new business, The Secondhand Librarian. 

It’s a labor of love. I’ve had so many books in my collection over the years that I’ve read but didn’t feel comfortable releasing. Friends would come to me for recommendations and I’d let them borrow from my personal library. I love doing that and wanted to expand it. Now, I offer a curated collection of things I feel like everyone should read! We’re virtual for now and you can pick up your orders at the Brainery.

What kind of books do you like to stock?

I’m a huge fan of mystery and young adult. During my teenage years, I read a ton of books that are super memorable to me, so that’s made YA one of my favorite genres. 

What challenges have you faced along the way so far?

Getting myself out there has been tough. I’m not native to the area, but I have a good circle here. I need to get myself out there more and reach out to more people. I’m also working to figure out things people like and don’t like when it comes to my inventory. I love cookbooks and cooking, but cookbooks aren’t selling well on my site right now. It’s a learning curve to figure out what people want. 

What's been the most rewarding part?

The support--I only started this a few weeks ago and I’ve gotten so much positive feedback from everyone! It’s really encouraging. I’ve found what I think I should be doing, and have been validated by everyone who is excited about the business. One of the best things is when people text me that they’ve just finished a book I recommended and they loved it. That’s super fun! It makes me feel like I’m doing something cool.

How can people support The Secondhand Librarian?

People can peruse my website--inventory is updated every week or so. I also take donations! I do curbside pickup at the Brainery on Thursdays and people can do donation drop-offs there too. Even if I don’t choose to stock everything that gets donated to me, those books get donated to Goodwill afterwards.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs in Rochester?

As cliche as it is, do the thing you’re passionate about. I’m 26 and was just going from thing to thing, not feeling like anything was right, and this idea was staring me in the face the entire time. When you trust the things you’re passionate about and explore them, that’s when everything works.