Lighthouse Books: A Lifeline to a Richer, More Meaningful Life
Rachana Nadella-Somayajula writes in The Lost Art of Reading: “In a world dominated by screens, notifications, and endless distractions, the simple act of reading a book seems almost revolutionary. Yet, as reading scores decline and attention spans shrink, the importance of rediscovering this lost art has never been more urgent…it’s not just a pastime – it’s a lifeline to a richer, more meaningful life.”
For Luke Balmer, owner of Lighthouse Books in Manistee Township, his business is all about books.
Lots of them.
He buys thousands of previously-read books in bulk from places like Goodwill and Thrift Shops and resells them on marketplaces like Amazon, Ebay, AbeBooks, Alibris and others. Lighthouse Books, founded in 2019, is also an Amazon Distributer with five Amazon distribution routes and another expected soon. If the used books he buys don’t have value they are recycled. He typically holds 45,000 books in a perpetually turning inventory.
With capital financing from Venture North, a nonprofit provider of small business services in underserved markets, he will increase his book inventory, add two employees and increase sales and profits.
Semi-trucks deliver thousands of books to Lighthouse Books every few weeks where employees Linda Walters, Megan Gould and Roz Jaffe will scan and sort them before placing those deemed “sell-worthy” on rows upon rows of shelves in the warehouse currently housing operations. Far right: owner Luke Balmer shown with employee Bill Donahue who has ‘’been there since the beginning”.
“It’s all in the numbers,” says Balmer. “We strive to match our buying with selling and recycling so our gross and net profits are steady and predictable. In doing so, our growth potential is enormous as long as we maintain close control over inventory and distribution. We take pride in the work we do and the results we achieve.”
A graduate of Onekama Consolidated Schools and Michigan State University as well as a former Dean of Students for the Kaleva Normal Dickson School district and employee for Manistee County’s Equalization Department, Balmer has now masterfully grown his successful Manistee County enterprise. With eight full-time and two part-time employees and ten contract drivers, he is setting a course for much higher buying and selling, envisioning a business that could turn a million books annually, eventually supporting 50-100 employees in a facility about twice what he currently rents on Pine Creek Road in Manistee Township.
“Despite the downward trend in reading, people are still seeking books to read globally,” Balmer said. “In addition to serving as a major book distribution center, I’d also like to develop a destination retail business, providing access for Manistee County residents and thousands of visitors to a rich variety of authors and their works. In this way, we can have a big impact by giving back to our community.”
With his growth trajectory, Balmer is also quietly looking at options to expand, including a potential doubling of space.
“We need to accommodate growth through facilities with ample space for warehousing, including movement of equipment and technology advances covering all elements of our business – from purchasing to stocking to relieving inventory through sales,” he said. “And our employee base and the compensation and benefits to support them will continue to grow as well.”
As Balmer and legions of others know, there’s much to be said for a good book, starting before Pre-K and continuing through life. “I want to be a part of rejuvenating reading,” Balmer said. “I think we can do that, and our lives will be richer.”
A preview of a recent truckload of books set for loading in and sorting at Lighthouse Books in Manistee, Michigan.
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