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Ben Vengroff will be oepning Red Jacket Books on Main Street in Westhampton Beach in the Spring. DANA SHAW
Like many teenagers, when he was a freshman at Harbor Fields High School, Ben Vengroff was more interested in music than books. One day, though, the class was poised to begin studying one book in particular. “My teacher said, ‘You’re really gonna like this,’ and I thought, ‘What do you know?’ And then I read it and I just fell in love. I related to it and it made me feel I wasn’t alone.”
Fifteen years later, “The Catcher in the Rye” remains his favorite book among what’s become scores of favorites. A budding entrepreneur on the cusp of opening Red Jacket Books on Main Street in Westhampton Beach, Mr. Vengroff hopes that one day, he’ll have the kind of insight into his own clients that will allow him to say, “This is one I know you’ll like.”
After school, Mr. Vengroff, 30, joined the family business, a collections agency started by his grandfather, working on the IT side of the enterprise. “It wasn’t my dream, but I wanted to be part of the family company,” he related. Around the same time, his parents moved to Westhampton Beach and visits out east from his native Centerport became frequent — visits to his parents, and visits to Books & Books on Main Street. Heading downtown to browse the bookstore was one of his favorite activities. “Usually, every time I go to any town, I look to go to the book store,” he said. It was a sad time when the bookstore closed.
As this year and pandemic predation ensued, more and more members of the family business began to move to Florida. Mr. Vengroff didn’t want to go. “It was time to do my own thing,” he said. He decided to make a dream that had danced at the edges of his consciousness a reality: He wanted a bookstore and he wanted one in Westhampton Beach.
In July of 2020, he started Red Jacket Books online, redjacketbooks.com, with the hope of moving to a brick-and-mortar locale. “I started looking around, learning prices per square foot, and this one hit the sweet spot,” he said of the site he found on Main Street.
So far, the online book store offers a curated collection of new releases, as well as selections from an array of genres from best sellers to classic to reference to comics. Mr. Vengroff’s desire is to help people find books they will love.
“The way the world is now, people need a way to escape, to live a life they can’t. You can’t travel, but you can read about life in France,” he said.
People need ways to engage their imaginations now more than ever, he explained.
To share his love of books and the way they can nurture the mind, at beginning of quarantine last spring, Mr. Vengroff began reviewing books on Instagram, under the name “benvenreads.” At first an outlet, it now provides a stepping stone to his store; he can direct readers to find the books he reviews at Red Jacket.
Mr. Vengroff plans to hold some 2,500 titles in his store when it opens. With a collection amassed and driven by customer requests, Red Jacket Books may become a community meeting place. Mr. Vengroff envisions book clubs and writers groups, book signings and readings.
He’d love to put together quarterly collections of short stories by local writers, perhaps including them as a perk to shoppers who stop by for books. He’s been pleased to observe how much people want to support small business. Shoppers could easily get their books on Amazon, but choose the Red Jacket Books site instead.
“People are even willing to spend extra money to support a small business. That’s really cool and gives you faith,” he said.
“I’m excited to be a part of this village,” he said, reporting neighboring businesses have been supportive and welcoming. “People have left messages on my website saying how excited they are to have a bookstore coming,” he said.
Making the leap from reserved IT expert to store owner challenged with engaging customers, “that’s a big step,” Mr. Vengroff acknowledged. “This is a new experience for me, I’m pretty shy.” But, he added, “I’m ready to talk about something I’m passionate about.”
Passersby in the village this week made note of freshly painted white walls beyond a storefront facade adorned with the charming red jacket logo. A steel door boasts red jacket magnets for people to take.
Why red jacket? Visiting California several years ago, Mr. Vengroff bought a satiny red varsity jacket. He wore it incessantly, much to the annoyance or delight of friends. “I wore it everywhere and it sort of became obnoxious,” he joked. It was his signature.
Then, last year, a freak storm sent a tree crashing into his home in East Northport. Just about all his belongings were destroyed. All his coats and jackets were ruined. All that remained was his beloved jacket — red, like the cover of “The Catcher in the Rye.”
