Roxanne Coady
The goal at R.J. Julia Booksellers has always been about making a difference in the lives of its community, staff and customers. In the building that had a previous life as Nick's Bar and Grill, Roxanne J. Coady, with the help of friends and family, created a welcoming place where books and conversation matter and where people would come to find the right book. Customers, or "readers" as they are known at R.J. Julia, can rely on the staff to put the right book in the right hand. Continuing to serve as credible eyes and ears in an onslaught of advertising and the 50,000 books published per year is Roxanne's vision for R.J. Julia.
Prior to 1989, Roxanne Coady had a successful 20-year career as a partner in a New York City accounting firm; her husband Kevin, was a successful real estate developer. They shared their time between the city and a house on the shore in Branford, until the Coady's decided to live in Connecticut more permanently. With the location decided, Roxanne had an easy time finding what she'd like to do in her new location: sell books. So R.J. Julia Booksellers was created and named for her grandmother with whom she shared a love of books.
The store has been well established ever since, giving the surrounding community the kind of place that offered advice, entertainment, education and a place where people could simply chat about books and talk with writers. In 2000, R.J. Julia Booksellers celebrated ten years of serving the community and prior to that it was a nationally recognized independent bookstore, Publisher's Weekly, a highly respected newsmagazine for publishers and booksellers, nominated R.J. Julia Booksellers as the 1995 Bookseller of the Year.
Roxanne took on another challenge five years ago. She was approached by a local affiliate of the national literacy organization Reach Out and Read. The local group, which gave a book to children each time they went to Fair Haven Community Health Center for a check-up, was running out of books. Roxanne and R.J. Julia got involved, filling two school buses with 12,000 books to distribute. Inspired by their success, Roxanne was then the impetus behind Books for Babies, a program to give every mom and baby leaving a local hospital a book. It quickly grew from a donor-advised fund at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and took on a life of its own as Read to Grow, a nonprofit organization that is an umbrella for Reach Out and Read, Books for Babies and a host of other literacy programs for people of all ages. Roxanne is chair of the board of Read to Grow. Roxanne said, "Whenever possible I try to partner with other organizations that are working to help families develop a love of reading, versus reinventing the wheel."
Roxanne believes, "A good way to sell people on giving is to describe it as the opportunity to make a difference in the world." Read to Grow now hands out 12,000 new books and recirculates 30,000 gently used books each year. With her many nonprofit and business partners, Roxanne Coady is certainly contributing to learning through reading and is richly deserving of being recognized with induction into Branford's Hall of Fame.
Prior to 1989, Roxanne Coady had a successful 20-year career as a partner in a New York City accounting firm; her husband Kevin, was a successful real estate developer. They shared their time between the city and a house on the shore in Branford, until the Coady's decided to live in Connecticut more permanently. With the location decided, Roxanne had an easy time finding what she'd like to do in her new location: sell books. So R.J. Julia Booksellers was created and named for her grandmother with whom she shared a love of books.
The store has been well established ever since, giving the surrounding community the kind of place that offered advice, entertainment, education and a place where people could simply chat about books and talk with writers. In 2000, R.J. Julia Booksellers celebrated ten years of serving the community and prior to that it was a nationally recognized independent bookstore, Publisher's Weekly, a highly respected newsmagazine for publishers and booksellers, nominated R.J. Julia Booksellers as the 1995 Bookseller of the Year.
Roxanne took on another challenge five years ago. She was approached by a local affiliate of the national literacy organization Reach Out and Read. The local group, which gave a book to children each time they went to Fair Haven Community Health Center for a check-up, was running out of books. Roxanne and R.J. Julia got involved, filling two school buses with 12,000 books to distribute. Inspired by their success, Roxanne was then the impetus behind Books for Babies, a program to give every mom and baby leaving a local hospital a book. It quickly grew from a donor-advised fund at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and took on a life of its own as Read to Grow, a nonprofit organization that is an umbrella for Reach Out and Read, Books for Babies and a host of other literacy programs for people of all ages. Roxanne is chair of the board of Read to Grow. Roxanne said, "Whenever possible I try to partner with other organizations that are working to help families develop a love of reading, versus reinventing the wheel."
Roxanne believes, "A good way to sell people on giving is to describe it as the opportunity to make a difference in the world." Read to Grow now hands out 12,000 new books and recirculates 30,000 gently used books each year. With her many nonprofit and business partners, Roxanne Coady is certainly contributing to learning through reading and is richly deserving of being recognized with induction into Branford's Hall of Fame.