“Lots of students, lots of regulars. they’d sort of just come in, plop down and they’d be there for eight hours,” says Nate Crawford, who used to work at the store about 10 years ago.
In those days, the second-hand store had the very same laid-back vibe: “It was super casual. I worked Sundays, I lived on Moran street so I just would wander down here, sort of settle in,” Crawford says.
Crawford was one of several curious passersby found peering in the windows of the storefront on a Monday, after owner Wayne Greene put up a sign announcing the store would close.
“Wayne is like the O.G. classic Canadian bookseller,” Crawford tells The Coast. "He knows so much about literature, Canadian literature, special topics. He can talk a blue streak, he’s that kind of business person that is just sort of disappearing.”
Over the years, Crawford says the owner has become known for making small talk with anyone who comes through, and for his ability to know which books he had in stock, and exactly where they were amongst the piles of novels that filled The Last Word from floor to ceiling.
“I asked him about one of my favourite books is called The Art of Racing in The Rain. He didn’t have it, but he knew about it. He just knows books, he knew exactly what I was talking about,” says Brie-anna Bartlett, who’s lived in the apartment above the bookstore since last fall.
Bartlett says she’s also sad to see the store go, as one of Halifax’s few remaining used bookstores. “I don’t think he did this for the money, he did it for the love,” she says.
Across social media, other Haligonians poured out their support for The Last Word and the unique charm of second-hand bookstores.
"I just love how the owner knew EVERY book in the shop, without needing to look it up in a database." - thenoblejobull, Instagram
"Every morning I left the house he would be sweeping the sidewalk. He cared for that place."
- kayrauch, Instagram
Wayne is one hec of an interesting guy!
— Shannon Dawn (@Sarradis) May 26, 2020
Anytime I went in we’d always chat about the latest book he’s reading, or series we liked.
If I was missing a book in a series, and it came in he’d hold it for me.
I’m simply heartbroken over this.
Windsor st will be darker without him.
I remember going into the the bookstore and finding a title that I was really interested in, and Wayne immediately told me about the author, and found a beautiful edition of another book by the same author to give me.
— Lauren Bryant-Monk (@jl_nicegirl) May 26, 2020
I also loved all of his recommendations in the window
I was always looking for discworld novels and he would let me know if they had them or not when I walked in! He also dug through the stacks once to make sure I had a matching set of LOTR and loved to talk about Tolkien and his friendship with CS Lewis.
— paisley conrad (@weather_letter) May 26, 2020
Wayne always knew if he had a book and where it was without any (apparent) systematized or digitized inventory... very impressive
— Violet Pask (@violetpask) May 26, 2020
Wayne is the most generous person. when i stopped by, i picked out a few books and he gave me The Reprieve and also Iron in the Soul by Sartre (which i had picked out along with other books that i had purchased) for free and refused to let me pay for the two of them
— iz (@izvoid) May 26, 2020
I miss Dust Jacket which is also gone. The staff’s ability to locate a book was unbelievable. My best score there was an autographed copy of ‘Burden of Desire’ by Robert MacNeill.
— Carol Dobson (@cjdobsonpei) May 26, 2020
Window recommendations were top notch! Bought several David Adams Richards books there. ALL excellent!!!! This place will be missed by our neighbourhood. It is so sad. Stop ordering from Amazon people! It is killing our city.
— Jennifer Fox (@harlickjen) May 27, 2020
I've been gleaning discarded books from student neighborhoods since I first moved to Halifax. I know what Wayne buys and he knows what I buy. I've had him call me from across the street "Hey! You like Raymond Chandler! Check out this edition! Look at the condition its in!"
— William Vulgaris (@VulgarisWilliam) May 26, 2020
