Imperial Furniture wanted to give back to the community during this weekend’s three-day Christmas open house while finding its own niche.

So, the 50-year-old business, 57530 M-51 South, decided to bring back books with a held Friday trough Sunday.

“We wanted to do something different than a food drive or a toy drive. Even with a toy drive, people don’t think to give a book because kids are always on the computer or phone,” Audrey Maxey said Thursday, joined around the waiting bookcase by her mother, Carol Springsteen, and sister, Eileen.

Anyone who donates a new children’s book will receive a 10 percent-off coupon as a thank you.

Imperial, in turn, will give books collected to the Cass County Department of Human Services for its annual holiday party for foster children or to Hope’s Door.

“I’m a book person,” Maxey said, “and kids don’t get a lot of books, or even exposed to them anymore. (My daughter) Charlotte loves books.”