KTKA

Tom Allen knows how to sell used books.

"In the used book business there's really two styles of bookstores," said Tom, the President of Dean's Books in Topeka. "One's antiquarian that deals more with first editions and rare books, and then we're the other type which is more just modern fictions and pleasure reading, but non-fiction as well."

Dean's Books is the oldest used bookstore in Topeka.

Tom's father, Dean Allen, opened the store in 1973. Dean Allen also owned a new bookstore. With a new bookstore, you end up with leftover books. And in trying to figure out what to do with them Dean's Books was born.

Tom likes to stack books on their sides when he doesn't have a full shelf. And, he says it's easier on the eyes.

Tom has about 80,000 books, almost all come from his customers through either sales or trades.

"Each day typically it'll range anywhere from a hundred to 300 items come in," he said.

With all those books coming in, has Tom come across any rare finds?

"I probably have. I probably sold it for a little or nothing as well because I really don't know that much about rare books," he said.

The store's books may not be rare, but most are out of print.

"Paperbacks typically will only stay in print for a matter of months. Some of 'em even only a month."

Tom says the hardest used book to get is "The Godfather."

Being surrounded by thousands of books one might think Tom is a voracious reader.

"I don't read books. I really don't. I don't have a lot of time to read full-length novels. So I read a lot of short fiction and stuff like that. But I really enjoy reading."