Right down the road from Newton Centre Green sits a shop for bookworms and record lovers alike, transporting customers to a store reminiscent of one from the early 2000s with its striped awning and warm colored interior decorations. The store’s logo, a dog sitting sheepishly and turning its head to the left, appears as if it’s nodding toward passersby, inviting them to come inside and stay a while.
What started as a cab company became a makeshift bookstore operating out of owner Barry Tilles’ home. Years later, Tilles found the vacant building he needed to transform his love of collecting records and books into a successful business.
“It was like you had to put everything together,” Tilles said. “So it was, you know, a bit of luck and determination. Finding a place was the biggest thing.”
Tilles’ business, Good Dog Records & Books, currently occupies 1187 Centre St. next to many other bustling stores in Newton Centre’s quaint village.
The store’s walls are lined top to bottom with shelves, novels almost bursting out of each one. Exploring the store’s varied genres is almost like finding the way through a maze with an accompanied quirky theme song due to Tilles’ music choices flooding the shop.
While Tilles finds many of his books and records himself through used book sites or in-person sales, many people in the community come in to donate books to the store, which he feels creates a connection.
“We are connected in that the customer, the community, or the people, are also the ones who bring in the merchandise,” Tilles said. “It’s a two-way street.”
Ben Greenes, a loyal customer of Good Dog Records & Books, says it’s Tilles himself who keeps drawing him back into the store.
“Barry helped me catch a wave back into reading, with not a shred of pretense,” said Greenes.
Greenes also shared that Tilles’ extensive collection of books has him reading odd picks he wouldn’t have thought to read otherwise.
“Barry has a perpetually accumulating stack of everything you never knew you needed to read—and more,” Greenes said.
It doesn’t matter if Greenes goes into the shop with a specific book or record in mind, Greenes said he always leaves with something.
“Even when I rarely leave without a book, I leave with a song I’ve never heard before, or I leave with a conversation [I] never expected, with someone I might never otherwise meet,” Greenes said.
Richard Martin Jarell, who goes by Wombat, shared the same opinions about Tilles and Good Dog in general.
Jarell explained that hanging out at Good Dog, even if he doesn’t end up leaving with any books or records, helps keep his vocabulary fresh—something he struggles with due to his aphasia.
Jarell is a writer who tends to need very specific editions of plays and manuscripts. While Good Dog doesn’t always carry exactly what he needs, he still feels drawn to the store.
“You could have a conversation with Barry for hours, then add on the wanderers in and out of the store, and you’re there longer than you know,” Jarell said. “Time just happens to pass quickly in there.”
Jarell also highlighted the sense of community and friendly business relationships between Good Dog and the new bookstore, Newtonville Books, located just across the street.
“They’re not [adversaries] to each other, which I think shows a genuine respect for each other,” Jarrell said. “I would even say they should put up posters of each other’s stores in their own [stores].”
Tilles appreciates the community his store attracts, even if they keep him on his toes.
“We love the people, they’re great to have here,” Tilles said. “While it’s hard to sometimes keep up with their level of expertise, we love them.”
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