ROCKDALE, Texas — Becky Hudson has always loved reading, but she's had to travel nearly 45 miles out of town to the nearest bookstore.
"If you ever been Rockdale, you know it's at least 45 miles to any bigger city," Hudson said. "That would be Austin, Bryan-College Station, Temple."
That's until the only bookstore in Milam County, Main Street Bookshop, moved into Rockdale, and it's filling a big need.
- Video shows how Scheel, owner of Main Street Bookshop, the only book store in Milam County, is encouraging literacy locally and filling a great need.
- Only 16% of adults have their bachelor's degree in the county.
- Community members are brushing up on their skills and hoping the shop's books inspire people to pursue higher education, especially in rural counties.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It's the only place Hudson can brush up on her education.
She never finished college.
Like 86% of adults in the city, she only has her high school diploma while only 16% have their bachelor's degree, according to the U.S. Census.
This applies to most rural communities because of factors like the cost of tuition, lack of visits from college recruiters, lack of exposure to college pathways due to not having parents with college experience, preferring an immediate payoff of a job and not knowing they can pursue higher education all prevent rural students from pursuing higher education.
It's part of the reason owner Meggins Scheel and her husband opened the store.
"Our goal — my husband and my goal — is to provide literacy and book-ish shopping in Milam County and in Rockdale. It's just not available," Scheel said. "It is a bit of a book desert. There are a few libraries in the county, but they don't offer books fresh out. It takes a while for them to get those in."
But it's not just for adults.
They sell children and young adult books — books Hudson believes can inspire young people to pursue higher education.
"You never know for sure what someone might be interested in, and it opens all types of opportunities," Hudson said.
And Scheel gets to connect with the community.
"Readers are out there. They're definitely out there. They've come out of the woodwork in Milam County and beyond, and they're thrilled that we are here, and they have a place to buy their books locally," Scheel said.
The shop will be open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. until Dec.17.
