Stayner bookstore a labour of love
Three years ago, as Troy Disabato was about to start moving his books into the Torn Pages storefront, an apartment fire devastated his collection.
But the burned books sparked Disabato’s romance with Stayner.
“That was an eye-opener,” Disabato, a 28-year-old born and raised in New Lowell, said. “It showed me how nice this town is.”
A number of residents raised books for the store and encouraged him to keep on. Students at the New Lowell Public School, Disabato’s elementary school, raised books for the shop.
“There’s a lot of love and passion for a used-book store in town,” Disabato said.
Now, Disabato said, he’s not only filled his apartment with books, his parents’ and grandparents’ homes are also full of books.
“We’re a book family,” Disabato said. “I didn’t know so many of them were book readers.”
Disabato said his store, and his love of reading, has made him even closer with his family.
With a large inventory, Disabato said he’s got a wide variety in his stock.
“I sell a bit of everything,” Disabato said.
In the summer, he needs to keep beach reads like romance novels and thrillers stocked. In the winter, Stayner’s readers are looking for true crime and horror novels.
But year-round, the trends seem to depend on what’s hot on Netflix.
The Crown spurred a fascination with the Royal Family and British novels, while Stranger Things attracted fans of supernatural thrillers to the store.
Part of running a book store is trying to entice customers to stop in.
For Valentine’s Day this year, Disabato offered a 50 per cent discount on romance novels with characters embracing on the cover.
“I want Torn Pages to be a fun store,” Disabato said.
“Now that I run the store, I read everything,” Disabato said. “I even read romance novels because I want to know something I can relate to customers.”
Disabato said he’s currently finishing Dan Brown’s latest thriller, Origin.
But one of his most memorable reads is Gabrielle Zevin’s novel The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, about a bookseller. Disabato has a copy, but it’s not for sale; he said he’s not even willing to lend it out.
As well as running the bookstore, Disabato is a member of the Stayner Lions Club and a director for the Stayner Chamber of Commerce. Before, opening Torn Pages, Disabato worked as a personal support worker.
“Confidence-wise, this store has been a life-changer,” Disabato said. “I wasn’t the most outgoing, and this store got me out there.”
Disabato said he’s at the store about 10 hours a day.
“Running the store is a lot of work,” he said, “but I’m in my element. I love what I do.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be a millionaire,” Disabato said, “but I feel rich in so many ways.”
On Sept. 29, Torn Pages will host an event with local author Tamara Thompson.
Torn Pages is at and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.