ENTERING THE NEXT CHAPTER : HAMLEY’S SECONDHAND BOOKSTORE OPENS IN CAMBRIDGE
In Nov. 2025, Jamie Hamley and his wife Sheri opened Hamley’s Second Chapter at 132 Main St. in Cambridge.
Jamie, a resident of Waterloo, spent 15 years of his life overseeing operations at Petro Canada gas stations within the city. But his love for literature started early. Growing up in Owen Sound, Jamie spent his after-school hours immersed in local used bookstores, hunting for western novels by Louis L’Amour.
His passion for reading and books inspired his goal of opening a second-hand bookstore, especially when he discovered there were none in Galt.
“My employment at Petro-Canada moved to 3 days a week, so I was looking for an add-on opportunity,” Jamie said. “I have always been a used bookstore customer and an avid reader, so the choice was easy for me.”
The couple collected books for their inventory at a four-day used book sale in Guelph that had 80,000 books available; out of these, they purchased 4,000.
They continued their efforts by purchasing more books through online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji, as well as from individual residents.
“We have an open concept in the store,” Sheri said. “We don’t want to be overstocked and cramped. We like to offer open space for the customers to look around.”
To further support the neighbourhood, the couple has dedicated a table at the front of the shop to showcase local authors.
Aside from books, the store also offers second-hand puzzles, Funko Pops and DVDs. Jamie said they plan to sell games in the future, but since his stock has grown so quickly, he decided to stop buying merchandise for his store in January, to focus on organization.
“It’s important to recycle products to a second or even tenth user,” Jamie said. “Everybody is a reader—some people just haven’t found the right book yet. Maybe they can find it here.”
“We are just starting to see what the community wants,” Sheri said. “We have expanded our non-fiction section to try to meet our customers’ needs.”
Although having space for their store was a big dream come true, Sheri explained that finding a rental space that suited their needs was a challenge.
“I have always wanted a physical store,” said Jamie. “Customers want to have the book in their hands, and you never know what you will find when you search the shelves.”
With a three-year lease in place, the couple hopes that the store will become their full-time focus. Jamie sees it as the perfect “second chapter” and a meaningful project for him and Sheri to share throughout their retirement.
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