DATE: Sunday, July 13, 1997                 TAG: 9707110317

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 24   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MARY REID BARROW, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   64 lines

OLD BOOKS, FROM BEST-SELLERS TO RARE ARE STORE'S SPECIALTY

Book lovers visiting the Beach can feel right at home at First Landing Books and Fine Art that opened this year on Pacific Avenue.

The small used book store in a little pink beach cottage offers cozy spots for sitting and reading. A visitor can snuggle into a wing chair by the fireplace and peruse a rare, expensive 18th century book or relax awhile in a wicker chair on the front porch with an inexpensive paperback that will do well on the beach the next day, too.

Or they can browse away a rainy afternoon just looking and thumbing through interesting old books. Brent and Laura Dall, honeymooners from Michigan, did just that recently. ``We were surprised at what they had,'' said Laura Dall, who has always made a habit of stopping by old books stores on vacation. Last week she introduced her husband to the pastime. That day, he found a handful of paperbacks, all by Kurt Vonnegut, one of his favorite authors.

Although Ted Logue, owner of the shop at 2708 Pacific Ave., specializes in Civil War books, rare books and decorative sets, he also tries to have a range of books on hand to please all tastes. Folks can find children's books, paperbacks and hardbacks, all used, along with unusual antiquarian books.

Prices range from 50 cents for some small paperbacks to thousands of dollars for something like a 39-volume set of George Washington's writings.

Some of the 6,000 or so books include first editions of William Faulkner's ``Requiem for a Nun'' and Mark Twain's ``Roughing It.'' Logue also has autographed copies of books by Studs Terkel and James A. Michener.

``People come in here,'' he said, ``and if they are really a book person, they can take two hours.''

Logue also searches out rare books for clients, conducting a lot of business over the Internet. He recently found and ordered a book for a German tourist.

But not all customers are tourists. Locals, like Dennis Allen who lives in Great Neck, check in periodically to find a good read and have a pleasant visit. ``It's quaint and friendly,'' Allen said.

When Logue opened, he and the owners of two other used book stores in town teamed up and produced a brochure they call ``The Little Bookshops of Virginia Beach, A Booklover's Treasure Map.'' The brochure lists First Landing Books and Fine Art as well as Brimmers' Books at London Bridge Shopping Center and Classic Books of Virginia at Shore Drive and Starfish Road.

Brimmers' has large sections on Virginia and Civil War history, African-American literature and religion. Classic Books features primarily sports, history and literature. The stores refer customers in search of specific topics to one another.

Logue, a substance-abuse counselor for the city and a teacher in the Alcohol Safety Action Program, has been in the used and rare book business for about 10 years as a sideline. This winter he decided to reverse roles and open a shop full time.

He is still working some evenings, leading counseling sessions and teaching an ASAP class. But now he tries to be at the bookstore most of the time.

``It was a hobby,'' he said. ``Now, it's a dream and I hope it doesn't become a nightmare.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos by MARY REID BARROW

Owner Ted Logue enjoys one of the cozy spots for sitting and reading

at First Landing Books and Fine Art on Pacific Avenue, above.

Mr. Bayle's Dictionary, left, is one of many rare books available at

the store.

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