She said the chain, which was founded in 1972, plans to open additional stores next year in the Chicago and Cincinnati markets.

“I think it’s great they are coming back to Waco. They were here in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, and competition is healthy. There are so few book stores in town,” said Billy Haney, a longtime staffer at Golden’s Book Exchange on Franklin Avenue in business for nearly 40 years. “We were here the first time they were here, and we will be here the second time.”

Haney said that despite the closings in recent years of Books-A-Million at Central Texas Marketplace and the Hastings multimedia superstore at Bosque Boulevard and Valley Mills Drive, Golden’s continues to hold its own, primarily thanks to loyal customers and good management.

“Our business this year actually is better than last year,” he said, adding Golden’s sells paperbacks at half price and hardbacks usually at less than half price, as well as comic books and collectibles.

Farrar said he and Randy Reid, both with Reid Peevey Company, had been “tag-teaming” the courting of Half Price books for almost 12 years.

“It’s been a long process, but it’s good to have them back,” Farrar said.