CHARLOTTE, NC -- I’m going to jump the gun and tell you about a story I’m working on for Tuesday’s paper. This week I met David Bratcher, a small-business owner, and it was a humbling and stereotype-smashing meeting.
Bratcher is the owner of Bookin’ It, a mobile bookstore out of Belmont. Set up in a 24-foot air-conditioned trailer, Bookin’ It has nice wooden shelves, carpet and tons of books. Bratcher and his business manager/mother Simone bring the store to festivals, events and parties, and they have a semi-permanent “parking spot” downtown. They started the store after Bratcher grew tired of the tedium of his previous jobs. He wanted a job that challenged him and united his passions: good books and interacting with people.
When I walked in, Bratcher’s eyes lit up. “A new customer,” they seemed to say as he hurried to show me his favorite books. He looked at my camera and the oversized flash and asked if it would make a bright light. I assured him my flash wouldn’t be too bad. After I snapped some pictures, Bratcher donned an apron with rubber strips hanging from the pocket. Within seconds, he produced a balloon animal for me and then quickly got to work on another. I left the store with two giraffes, his business card and a handful of brochures about his business.
Bookin’ It is already unique, but what makes it extra cool is Bratcher. See, Bratcher has a mental disability, something I didn’t expect when I first heard about the business. His story crumbled my preconceptions about mentally disabled people in the workforce. So often we see developmentally disabled people at “easy” jobs, like doing dishes, picking up trash or collecting tickets. I always smiled at these individuals and assumed they were happy to be contributing. It never crossed my mind they might be bored, that the mind-numbing act of ripping tickets in half all day could be just as tedious to them as it would be to me.
Bratcher and his mom were quick to assure me that he appreciated the employers that gave him his start, but it’s easy to see that his current position, owner of a small bookstore, is more fulfilling. The business is a perfect fit for Bratcher, as he goes out of his way to make customers feel welcome; I’ve got two giraffes to prove it.
There’s much more I’d like to share about Bratcher — how he got here, where his funding came from, how others can follow in his footsteps — but you’ll have to come back Tuesday. If you do, leave your preconceptions at the door; Bratcher doesn’t fit them.
© Dolan Media Newswires 2009.
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