Paul Winer

Paul Winer is a septuagenarian nudist who owns Reader’s Oasis, a bookstore on the east end of Main Street in Quartzsite. A former touring boogie-woogie pianist known as Sweet Pie, he continues to perform in the shop, making it both a bookstore and a setting for his public persona.

Identity and Background

Before running Reader’s Oasis, Winer toured as Sweet Pie, a nude boogie-woogie pianist known for a sing-along anthem. Music remains part of his life at the store: he sometimes plays spontaneously on a baby grand near its entrance. His past as a performer and his continuing appearances at the piano make the bookstore an extension of his unconventional public presence.

The Bookstore and Its Construction

Reader’s Oasis is not a conventional enclosed shop. Its central space consists of a ramada roof over a concrete slab, with tarps stretched across the open sides; shipping containers and a trailer serve as annexes. Because the bookstore is technically not a permanent structure, Winer can keep it operating while paying less in taxes. The arrangement links the shop’s distinctive form to a practical financial advantage.

Books, Performance, and Public Persona

The store’s sections sit in a telling contrast. Adult books are kept discreetly covered, while the Christian section is at the back and Winer often has to direct customers to it. He jokes about the incongruity, while his piano performances take place near the front. Together, the layout and his performances give Reader’s Oasis a character shaped by the coexistence of commerce, religion, music, and Winer’s deliberately unconventional presence.