A couple of basic reading instincts have led Robert Smith to come to The Book Exchange in Meridian.

“I like finding books that I want to read, and I still like to turn my pages,” said Smith, who lives in Newton County.

The Book Exchange has existed for years in Meridian, taking different shapes in different buildings, and falling under a number of owners. Ralph and Linda Weimer have owned the store since 2014, after they bought it while it was on Poplar Springs Drive. Now it’s at 3508 N. Hills St., in Meridian.

“We’ve always enjoyed reading and books, and we’ve always thought it would be kind of cool to have a bookstore — like most readers, I guess,” Linda Weimer said.

The Weimers saw an advertisement for the store, and with no prior business experience they bought it and began their work. They sell donated books — along with some they pick up on their own — for a few dollars each, and the price is cut in half for every book a customer donates. That means the collection shifts shape continually, subject to customers’ donations.

And the selection is eclectic. A visitor might stumble upon “A Short History of African Art,” or upon novels by Carson McCullers and Harper Lee. Robert Weimer also pointed out some “old-school photography” books, along with “paranormal romance” and various religious fare. The list could go on — and it does, for many thousands of books, according to Linda Weimer.

Robert Weimer said he and his wife have gravitated toward books for a long, long time.

“The first thing we do when we move to a new place is get a library card,” he said.

Retired now, the couple moved to the area from Horn Lake to Meridian to be closer to family members. Linda Weimer worked as an elementary school librarian, and Ralph Weimer had a job in health care. The Book Exchange pays for itself, the Weimers said, allowing the couple to pursue an endeavor they relish in their retirement.

The work has put them in contact with people who come through the store carrying a great deal of knowledge about books, from formal collectors to people who simply have ample book stashes in their homes. The Weimers also display plenty of savvy when it comes to books, particularly when they’re speaking about a writer who catches their imagination. As Robert Weimer contemplated “The Dispossessed,” by Ursula Le Guin, he described Le Guin’s narrative style.

“She played a little trick with her storytelling arcs,” he said, noting the way they “they converged” late in the narrative.

The Book Exchange’s space conjures a contemplative atmosphere. It once was a dentist’s office, and it harbors a tiny nook that used to be a darkroom, along with an old swivel dentist’s chair. Robert Weimer counted seven rooms in the building, in addition to the darkroom nook.

Linda Weimer said many — though not all — of the customers are older people. She said she’s glad to be able to provide them something that can keep their brains active and provide comfort. And that comfort, she suggested, reaches people regardless of age.

“You’ve heard of comfort food,” she said. “There are comfort books.”

That’s a sentiment shared by Annice Daniel and Fairie Null, customers who came away with a cache of books on Friday afternoon.

“We read all the time,” said Daniel, noting a particular liking for mysteries.

Some artwork punctuates the shop’s walls, including a drawing by Ralph Weimer. But mostly, there are books — all in a shop run by people who took on the task with no business background but with a love of reading.

“We just decided we would give it a try,” Linda Weimer said.