Most folks know that Bookmans sells books, and not just books but all manner of entertainment and educational merchandise. Many of you are also familiar with Bob Oldfather, the currently blue bearded owner of Bookmans. You might have seen him in one of our ads or maybe around town. He is the dapper gentleman in the fedora, always friendly. At Bookmans Speedway, we hear many anecdotes about Bob’s engagement in our community. He, like his stores, is part of the fabric of Arizona’s history and culture. Outgoing, generous and personable, Bob shows his love for the state through involvement with multiple causes and issues including free speech, literacy, animal welfare and the environment. Like his employees, he is creative and original. These are the qualities that help create his line of merchandise known as B.O.B., Bookmans Original Brand.

Bookmans Original Brand

We see B.O.B. all over town on T-shirts, tumblers and totes. At one recent event in Tucson, a sea of B.O.B. backpacks floated through the crowd. B.O.B. gear is designed by employees and promotes our core values. B.O.B. gear sports logos that you ask for, like “Knowledge lifts us up – Censorship brings us down” and “Reading is not a Crime.” Kids love our Lion “read” tee and our pink Lolita tees are cult favorites. Our tumblers and mugs are BPA free and reusable. Most of us own more than one — employee approved!

B.O.B. Blank Books

We just started a new line of unbranded B.O.B. blank books. You may have seen them in the stores and we are starting to sell them online as well. When you leave behind books on our trade counter that are too far gone to donate, we haven’t been able to bring ourselves to trash or recycle them. We give them new life as blank books that you can use for art sketching, journaling or scrapbooking since they are made with archival grade paper.

Bob decided long ago that we would market the company differently from other businesses. He sets aside a large chunk of our marketing budget for local outreach. This allows us to donate to your schools, animal rescues and sports teams. It means that we install electric vehicle chargers and solar panels and super efficient lighting in our stores. It also means that we can offer discount programs to children and classroom teachers. With B.O.B. gear, you can have fun, look chic and be a part of the solution. Pick up B.O.B. at any Bookmans location including our newest store Bookmans Sports. You can also check out our online B.O.B. storefront. Share your values and connection to Arizona with Bookmans Original Brand.