Veronica Valentino visits the Sabino Canyon bookstore, but others have been staying away, though the favorite recreation area has reopened after the flood. Sales at the bookstore are down compared with the same time last year. It offers unique gifts, events and volunteer opportunities.

david sanders / arizona daily star

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Sales Reps

The staff of the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center Bookstore is eager to answer people's questions about Sabino Canyon and the natural resources it holds — but they need people to return to the canyon first.

"The months of August and September have been quieter than last year, there's no doubt about it," said Bill Davidson, store manager.

He guesses a big reason is that a lot of folks still think much of the canyon remains closed after the summer floods.

He and his workers hope to bring people back by expanding book readings and signings and continuing to offer guided hikes, volunteer opportunities and classes and movies about the canyon.

Much of the $500,000 made annually by the bookstore goes into care for the canyon, which needs lots of help after this year's monsoon.

Though it's called a bookstore and does indeed sell books of all varieties — cookbooks, maps, children's books, books on hiking, landscape and critters — it's more accurately described as a locally themed gift shop.

An entire display is devoted to the work of local artist Diana Madaras — proprietor of two Tucson-area art galleries of her work — who last spring created an image especially for Sabino Canyon titled "Walk in Sabino Canyon."

"I love Sabino Canyon. I love to walk in Sabino Canyon. I think it's one of Tucson's treasures," said Madaras, who was at the store Saturday morning for an art signing and meet-and-greet.

In a telephone interview, Madaras said she likes to support the bookstore because "it's a way for people to take a memento of Sabino Canyon with them, and it promotes Tucson and it promotes the park."

Appearances such as the one Madaras made last weekend are becoming more common at the shop.

For the next three Saturdays, a different author will be signing books at the store each week.

"We try as much as possible to get local authors and artists involved" in the store's inventory, Davidson said.

The store also sells prickly pear jelly and candy, puzzles, note cards, cuddly stuffed animals and apparel. And most of those items are manufactured in Tucson as well.

"We try to pick out some unique items," Davidson said. Even the walking sticks the store sells are locally made from agaves instead of trees.

Mitzi Sassé, who has worked at the store since July, quickly displayed a cookbook of prickly pear recipes to show what she likes best about the store.

"Because we do have the different books, they're great references," she said.

Canyon visitors frequently stop in at the store to ask about certain types of birds, plants or bugs they saw out on the trail.

The information is always at Sassé's fingertips, in the types of books the store carries.

She and her colleagues give out lots of information every day, letting people know what's in the area and how to get around, she said.

"We just basically help the public have a good time."

Because the bookstore is on federal land, it does not charge a sales tax, so business tends to increase closer to the holidays, Davidson said.

"We have some customers who come in here all the time, especially now with the holidays coming up. They come in for some unique gifts that they really couldn't get elsewhere."

Foothills

Oct. 7: Gerald Dawavendewa, featuring "The Butterfly Dance," a children's book about Hopi culture.

Oct. 14: Allen Mote, featuring "Hiker's Wisdom," a hiking guide.

Oct. 21: Mary Ellen Barnes, featuring "Forged by Fire," about the devastation on Mt. Lemmon from the Aspen Fire.

What: Sabino Canyon Visitor Center Bookstore

Where: 5700 N. Sabino Canyon Road.

Phone: 749-7711.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekends. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.