Comment: Over and Out

A kind friend offered the ALP and I rides in to work today, very early because he had to get to his own job. The bookstore is operating on reduced hours because of the transit strike, so I'm the only one here this morning. It's kind of cool -- reminds me of being at my high school after hours when I was working on the literary magazine, the sense of the institution in its sleepy, mysterious other life.

We're headed out of town tomorrow for about a week, and I probably won't get a chance to post from Denver, so you won't hear from me for a little while. I do have book-related plans while I'm there, though -- I'm hoping to break away from the family festivities briefly for a visit to The Tattered Cover, Denver's famous (and huge) independent bookstore. I've heard a lot about the place, and I can't wait to check it out -- I'll report on the visit when I get back.

After that, it's time to look forward to 2006. There are so many things I'm excited to talk about in the coming year: the changing forms of in-store and out-of-store book events, the rise of "buy local first" movements, the continuing development and discussion of print-on-demand publishing, media perceptions of independents, the many bookstores of New York, the potential for various forms of collaboration, etc.... and of course all the books I'll read and want to read and hear buzz about, and all the happenings in the publishing and bookselling communities that will come along. Naturally, I also want to talk about plans for opening my own independent bookstore in Brooklyn, but we'll see how things develop with that. I promise to approach each subject with my typical dorky excitement and cockeyed optimism -- call it my New Year's resolution.

I'm really looking forward to having these conversations with other readers and book people -- it's been wonderful to meet you and talk to you in the short time I've been here. May you all have a wonderful and book-filled holiday -- talk to you when I get back!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Last I was in Denver there were two locations for Tattered Cover bookstore, one downtown and one in a Denver neighborhood. Being a bookaholic, I went to both. The downtown store, that one visit, was great in its vibe, architecture, staffing--very cool space; the neighborhood store was much better stocked with titles in fiction and poetry, the two sections I haunt the most, but was more of the carpeted with new shelving kind of place. Both have three floors I recall. If I were going back and had to choose one, it would be the neighborhood store, for the book selection. (Just checked website-seems there are two out in the burbs--no idea which one is the one I visted--expect a phone call would satisfy.)
4:00 PM
Quillhill said…
We just opened a shop last June, and its been an experience. I wish you well.
7:36 PM
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