Yesterday, I went to my favorite used books store. As I frequently do, I sent a teenager to pick up my resell credit while I searched shelves for the missing books in series that I’m reading. Unlike every prior visit, the teen didn’t return with the credit in one hand a book request in the other hand.

A cranky teen sullenly informed me that they no longer buy books back from minors. Apparently, the city has decided used books stores are pawn shops and you have to be 18 to be a customer. I guess buying and selling used jewelry, guns and power tools is the same basic concept as buying and selling musky old paperbacks. It’s stupid that my teen can no longer go to the used books store to swap her books, but it is what it is.

I do wonder if the used clothing store the teen and I frequent is now considered a pawn shop. The consequence of this, intended or not, is that teenagers will spend their part-time job money on new books and clothes instead of gently used items. It’s economically vindictive legislation that hurts consumers, small businesses and our landfill covered planet.