VOLUMES
that way today, because of overdevelopment.”
Martin’s favorite book in the inventory is a report about
the Everglades that Congress issued more than a century ago.
He happened upon a copy of the original on a store shelf in
Pensacola. It was produced by the Government Printing Office
in 1911.
“I had never heard of it,” he said. “I didn’t know it existed.”
He reprinted the book with the title, South Florida in Peril:
How the United States Congress and the State of Florida in
cooperation with land speculators turned the River of Grass into
a billion dollar sand bar. The cover photo shows an alligator
“seeking scarce water” in a culvert along Shark Valley Road
in the Everglades.
STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY
The store carries numerous books about Martin County
and Treasure Coast history, salvage and shipwrecks, nature
and landscaping, along with children’s books, art, note cards
and post cards and lots of maps. As a business partner with
the U.S. Geological Survey, the store carries more than 1,000
of the agency’s topographical maps.
Martin’s business plan with Florida Classics Library was
largely to secure the rights to publish out-of-print books and
then to sell them to customers such as national and state
parks, historical societies, museums and botanical gardens.
Besides the updated website, Alexander has created a more
walk-in retail business and expanded book offerings printed
by other publishers. She says the retail portion of the business
now accounts for about 50 percent of revenue.
While publisher, Martin printed books as disparate as three
of Theodore Pratt’s books of Florida-based historical fiction, >>
100
The Florida Classics Library has expanded its offerings by selling books of local
historical interest by authors such as Sandra Thurlow and Lucille Rights.
INTERESTED?
Visit Florida Classics Library at
FloridaClassicsLibrary.com or
11300 SE Dixie Highway, Hobe Sound, FL 33455.
Phone 772.546.9380.
Comfort Crisis?
Don’t roast,
call Sea Coast
Serving St. Lucie, Indian River
and Martin counties
• Service and repair all brands
• Free estimates on replacements
• Maintenance agreements
772.466.2400 www.seacoastair.com
Lic. & Insured CMCO35421
Family-Owned
Since 1982
/www.seacoastair.com
/FloridaClassicsLibrary.com
/www.seacoastair.com