Mary Ellen Aria's blog

Mary Ellen Aria has owned Aria Booksellers for seven years. But books have not always been in her life.

Growing up in Metro Detroit, books were a chore that had to be read for school only. It wasn’t until her three kids were born that the love started to grow. Reading children’s books was her favorite past-time activity with her kids. Then when the kids got older, her book love blossomed.

Many steps were taken to get to the bookstore stage. Mary Ellen worked at J.L. Hudson’s through college, worked for the family business in automotive packaging for 11 years, and taught Spanish for elementary and middle school children for six years before the idea came about for a bookstore. She attended bookseller’s school in North Carolina, and nine months later the doors were open in downtown Howell. Today, Mary Ellen faces head-on the challenges of this ever changing business with the competition between big box stores, online businesses and the new electronic books.

Through the last seven years her children have been a big supporter of the store. Bailey, 18, now goes to Albion College, but works anytime she can at the store; Madison, 16, helps with odd jobs around the store; and Garrett, 15, tests her knowledge of everything from sports to politics. She and her family have lived in Livingston County for over 20 years.