Ulysses Books gears up for tourists and used book lovers

Michael Muilenberg has been busy preparing for the upcoming tourist season, hopeful that book lovers near and far will check out his used book barn.

Muilenberg has enjoyed chatting with customers who have passed through his doors since settling into Ulysses Books. He will soon celebrate his first year as proprietor of the secondhand bookstore.

As a newer resident of the area, having arrived from Deerfield, Massachusetts, Muilenberg has vast experience operating a bookstore. He previously owned a shop in Shelburne Falls, a quaint New England village inhabited by artisans and potters, with the Deerfield River flowing through it.

“It was a neat little village,” Muilenberg remembered fondly.

After his wife accepted a position at Cornell University, Muilenberg closed his book shop in Shelburne Falls and moved to Trumansburg, opening Ulysses Books on state Route 227.

“It was a gradual, slow opening and maybe it’s still slow,” he joked of opening the doors to his store.

When entering Ulysses Books, patrons will be struck by the warm and cozy ambiance, along with approximately 4,000 books displayed on the shelves, waiting to find a happy home. Most of the books are neatly wrapped in clear, slip-on book covers, a little touch that gives used books new life and lends itself to a wonderful presentation. 

“It’s a relatively inexpensive way to try and keep things looking good,” said Muilenberg. 

There is also a space upstairs in the barn, which he is still developing. Along with roughly 2,500 books there are maps, postcards, unframed prints, artwork, topographical maps and ephemera.

Muilenberg likes interacting with customers or simply basking in the quiet with his dog, Duke, while cataloging books. He also sells books online, which he started doing about five years ago. 

Still, it’s the human component he prefers while running Ulysses Books. Muilenberg recalled one local gentleman with an apple orchard who popped in to chat, sharing the area’s history. 

“I don’t want to just sit in front of a computer and sell books online,” he said. “I like talking to people, figuring out what they like to read, getting recommendations from them as well as recommending things to them.”

While fiction is always popular, his Massachusetts customers frequently sought books on local and town history. In contrast, since opening his shop in Trumansburg, he’s noticed that he sells a reasonable amount of fiction, religion and philosophy books. He also regularly sells natural history, field guidebooks and agricultural books. 

An avid reader, Muilenberg reads a combination of biography and fiction, ranging from the early 19th century to modern fiction and scientific works.

He’s also looking forward to an event in the fall, having connected with the Rochester Area Antiquarian Booksellers Association. He plans on setting up a booth at a book fair at the end of September. 

“Book fairs are interesting because you meet different people and it’s kind of collegial between book dealers,” he said. “It’s a good way to meet and get to know other dealers a little bit better.”

While he said he has more books than he can sell in two lifetimes, as well as storage lockers in Massachusetts and Trumansburg, he responds to those wishing to offload books, whether due to downsizing or estate matters. 

“I like to try and help out people – and you never know what you’re going to find,” he said. “That’s actually another positive about an open shop. You do get access to people who are selling books, and that can be a good source of material.”

Because of the volume of books that some have, he frequently conducts house calls, exploring collections of books while trying to remain selective.

His website contains approximately 1,100 books, which can be viewed by visiting abebooks.com, clicking on Sellers and then typing Muilenberg. A link to search his online collection will then appear. For those who discover a great find, Muilenberg said he can be contacted and will bring the book(s) over to his store. He usually offers a discount for local pickup. 

Ulysses Books is open Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday from noon to 5 p.m. and is located at 6413 state Route 227 in Trumansburg.

If book lovers are traveling from afar to visit the store, Muilenberg suggests they call 617-504-7215 ahead of time to ensure that he is open.

Trumansburg Connection appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com or courtney.rehfeldt@gmail.com.

In brief:

Paint & Sip fundraiser for the Searsburg Community Church

Join The Party Brush on Thursday, June 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for a Paint & Sip fundraiser for the Searsburg Community Church.

The cost is $40 per person and includes all supplies, materials and step-by-step instruction.

Proceeds will go to benefit the Searsburg Community Church. All seats must be purchased in advance, as space is limited. 

Tickets are available at thepartybrushstudio.com. 

Contact stacey@thepartystudio.com or call 607-624-4410 with any questions.

Doug’s Fish Fry to Go bake sale

There will be a bake sale to benefit the Searsburg Community Church on Thursday, June 15, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the church. 

To place orders (until 4 p.m.), call 607-753-9184, ext. 2.