Book man

Once, Joe Chiappetto owned the Book Gallery, a used book store in Sparks. He sold it 10 years ago, then traveled the world. Eventually he returned to Nevada and operated other enterprises, such as a boat rental business in the Sparks Marina. Then he bought back the Book Gallery, 1203 Rock Blvd., and now has made some changes to the interior to add an art gallery.

Why did you buy back the store?

I missed it. I am comfortable in this line of work.

What did you get from traveling?

Oh, I got a wealth of knowledge.

What made you stop traveling?

I’d seen it all, at least all I’d wanted to.

And when you came back, you had some other enterprises.

I did.

What made you come back to this valley? You could have lived anywhere.

Oh, that’s true. But the business—the book business—was here, and I always did want to stay in it, even when I didn’t own it, I was a part of it. I worked for the new owner [Phil Davis].

Do you still have the other stores?

No, all the other stores are gone. Carson City, I sold that one, and I sold the one in Sun Valley.

And you had a comic book store.

On Prater. It’s gone, too.

You’ve made other changes, new shelving and reconfigured the north room.

We’ve expanded. There’s a new bestseller section as well as a new art gallery section we’re going to use for consignment art. We’ll be open Sundays eventually to have new artists show their work.