A year after announcing his retirement, Centuries & Sleuths’ owner August “Augie” Aleksy held a sale for the bookstore’s best customers May 18 and 19 before closing this summer.
Nearly 30 people showed up that weekend, contributing to Centuries & Sleuths’ best weekly sales since last Christmas Eve. They helped clear out inventory for Aleksy to sell the bookstore’s building at 7419 Madison St., which is on the market as Aleksy closes in on his retirement.
“I love selling books. I love meeting with people. But I’m really not crazy about the paperwork, paying the bills, handling taxes,” Aleksy said. He knew about the behind-the-scenes work when he opened Centuries & Sleuths in 1990, but now he’s 75.
“I’m too old to be messing with that stuff, as far as I’m concerned,” he said.
Aleksy announced last May that he planned to retire at the end of 2023 after more than 30 years of business. He was looking for someone to purchase both the building and his books and had offers from two parties that fell through.
“It was too much for them to handle,” Aleksy said. “If you own a bookstore, it’s a business, and you’ll be lucky if you read what you want to read with your breakfast in the morning.”
Aleksy added that the ability to order books online may have contributed to his inability to find someone to take over the bookstore.
“I think that’s what scares would-be-merchants away too, because they know the onslaught of Amazon.”
Because, to his disappointment, Aleksy hasn’t been able to find someone to buy both the books and the building, he offered most of his remaining collection to the Oak Park Public Library — with the exception of books he sells on consignment, paying authors only after he sells them. Those books Aleksy will likely ship back to the authors.
‘The best 34 years of my life’
Aleksy left his banking job in 1989 to open Centuries & Sleuths. After researching what people checked out at the Oak Park Public Library and sending out a survey, Aleksy found that history and mystery books were the most-popular genres locally, he previously told the Review. So Centuries & Sleuths, as its name suggests, mainly sells history and mystery books.
“From almost day one, couples have come in and they said, ‘This is great. I love mysteries, and my husband likes history,’ or vice versa,” Aleksy said.
The first Centuries & Sleuths location was at 743 Garfield St. in Oak Park. In 2000, the bookstore moved to its current location, where Aleksy and his wife, Tracy, own the building.
Since opening, Centuries & Sleuths has regularly hosted events and signings with authors, plus discussion groups for locals.
“I’ve had many people tell me, ‘It’s more of a community center [than a bookstore] without the support of government funds, but with the activities, the ideas.’”
And though it will be the end of an era when Centuries & Sleuths likely closes shop this summer, Aleksy said he’s looking forward to retirement. He said he plans to take a cruise to Germany with his wife to visit the historical landmarks of Martin Luther, whom he’s read a lot about as a devout Catholic.
He also said he’d like to write his own book, a drama set in pre-World War I Europe. He added that he’s talked to playwrights, local authors and those whose books he sells to get ideas and develop the story.
“I’ve got all the research done. Now all I have to do is write it,” Aleksy said. And though that’s an exciting prospect, he’ll miss the regular exchange of knowledge at Centuries & Sleuths.
“It was, at least to-date, the best 34 years of my life. It was wonderful, the people, the personalities,” Aleksy said.
