"We have an active customer base of several thousand people," Curt Bench said. "Some are readers and others are collectors. Some customers just want one book. Some are strictly collectors who want trophy books. We have a core of loyal people across the Mormon spectrum who come in regularly."

A great many fundamentalists frequent the store — chiefly to buy scriptures and hymn books. Bench often holds book signings so customers can meet important authors of LDS books, such as the most recent, which was for Robert Millet, a BYU religion professor who has written more than 50 books.

Benchmark also cultivates a friendly business where people talk to each other, and Bench is often found talking books to customers. "I don't want to lose that personal touch. One guy who comes in regularly says this is his 'ward' and I'm his 'bishop,"' Bench said with a chuckle.

Walking through the store and the hallway gives a visitor the impression of being surrounded by books. There are boxes of books piled nearly everywhere and over a large portion of Bench's office. It creates an ambience for learning. At home, the Benches face a similar clutter of books. His wife recently said to him, "Could we please have just one room in the house that has no books?"

Bench puts in 40 to 50 hours a week. "My escape is a regular Friday lunch with a group of friends. We talk about history, books, movies and church stuff. But more than anything, I like to talk with people about books."

He also dabbles in fine-press leather books issued in limited editions — such as Ed Kimball's book, first published a couple of years ago, about his father, Spencer W. Kimball, and the latter's administration as LDS Church president. Bench will put a lot of material that could not be included in the Deseret Book publication and plans to print 200 to 300 copies. "A lot of my customers love that sort of thing."

Bench has a "personal passion" for early Mormon books and dust jackets, "because traditionally, jackets are either ruined or tossed — so they are quite rare. BYU once did an exhibition of about 50 of my jackets. It can be said that 80-90 percent of the value of a book is in the jacket."

---

E-mail: dennis@desnews.com