An Oak Harbor business owner wants to reward anyone with a military identification card.

Karen Mueller, owner of the Wind and Tide Bookshop downtown, is borrowing an idea she got from a national business (Walgreen’s) — offering a discount to anyone with military ID, whether active duty or retired.

“I thought, if I can offer a discount on Thursdays too, maybe others would do it and we could have ‘Military Thursday.’ Wouldn’t that be great?” asked Mueller. “The military is a big part of this island and I think we need to ask what we can do for them.”

Mueller will offer a 15 percent discount on purchases to anyone with a valid military ID card beginning Sept. 6. She plans to have her idea brought up for discussion at the Downtown Merchants Association as well.

“We should do more for them,” she said, referring to active duty military, retirees and veterans. She encourages other businesses to join forces for a cause she feels would drive more business to the downtown area.

“We should all just contribute and help each other,” she said. “We should embrace this idea, because it’s good for all of us. The military brings young families in.”

Mueller said she also tries to plan events and activities that the military community would be interested in, such as military speakers and local authors who can address historical topics.

“I try to be as valid and valuable to the military community as I can be,” she said.

The bookshop, which Mueller took over last October, boasts a military history section; she’ll take art work from military personnel to put on display; and if a group of military spouses would like to start a book club, she’d be happy to host it for no charge.

It’s all part of learning how to do business in a small community like Oak Harbor. Mueller said she never thought she’d wind up owning a book store, but the thought of not having such a store in the community where she grew up was her motivation to buy the shop.

“I remember coming here as a child. I remember the smell of the books,” she said. “I felt like somebody had to (buy the store). It would have been heartbreaking if it couldn’t stay.”

Mueller is hopeful her idea will catch on with other downtown merchants so that shopping locally for products and services will be everyone’s first thought and people won‘t look for what they want off the island.

“The more we can keep things local, the more we can support our community,” Mueller said.

For more information, contact Mueller at the Wind and Tide Bookshop at 360-675-1342.