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After 42 Years, The Muse Bookshop Still Promotes Literacy and Community

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By Ginger Pinholster

In DeLand, Florida’s bustling historic downtown, The Muse Bookshop invites readers to browse an irresistible children’s section, new best sellers, used and antiquarian books, topographical maps, “Floridiana,” gifts, and more.

Seated at the heart of the shop is its unstoppable founder – educator and community champion Janet Bollum, who co-founded The Muse 42 years ago, on July 1, 1980. Bollum’s business has continued to thrive despite devastating recessions, changes in her personal life, and a global pandemic. On a recent Saturday, customers bustled in and out of the shop as they paraded along DeLand’s humming downtown shopping area.

Bollum has played a key role in advancing her city’s downtown business district, ever since the area was established in 1985. “I have a vested interest in the viability of the downtown district,” she explains. “I’m on the MainStreet DeLand Association board. I live in DeLand, own a business in DeLand. I promote literacy in that, if people come in and they’re looking for something, I have the ability to point them in the right direction.”

Janet Bollum, owner of The Muse Bookshop

She considers that level of service – and literary insight – as her primary selling point, compared to chain stores. “I can help my customers navigate my collection,” says Bollum, an enthusiastic bibliophile. “If I don’t have it, I can get it for you.”

From a visitor’s perspective, Bollum’s other primary selling point is her infectious passion for books and her steadfast commitment to community-building. As an example, following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, Janet and her daughter Ella Ran live-streamed weekly readings of children’s books on race and diversity. Readings in that series included books such as Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice.

“Give a kid a love for books and they’ll be entertained for life,” Bollum says, noting that her nine-year-old granddaughter loves graphic novels such as Wings of Fire and Artemis Fowl.

The Children’s Section at The Muse

Bollum’s preferred genre is historical fiction. She reads to escape, and for entertainment, but she also reads a bit of everything, including all of the offerings in her bookshop’s “Florida Room.” There, contemporary literary fiction by Connie May Fowler and Carl Hiaasen’s humorous thrillers coexist with antique copies of Robert Wilder’s Flamingo Road and Marjorie Kinnan Rawling’s Cross Creek.

Born in Minnesota, Janet Lynn Bollum earned a mathematics degree from Moorhead State College, taught high school in Australia for a couple of years, then returned to the United States, where she became involved in adult education. That experience got her more interested in promoting literacy.

In 1979, she and her then-husband, the late Keith Charles Bollum, followed her parents to Florida, where he worked at a bookstore in St. Augustine. In 1980, they bought a business called McVicker’s Books, Cards, and Gifts, which was located a block north of her current store in DeLand. The Bollums had two children, Justin and Ella, before divorcing in 1989.

The Florida Room

Still, The Muse Bookshop persisted.

Janet Bollum became increasingly involved in civic life, serving as a City of DeLand commissioner; as chair of the Volusia County Metropolitan Planning Organization; as a representative of the Volusia Council of Governments; and on the advising committee of the Metropolitan Planning Organization. She remains active in the Democratic Party, and she helps citizens register to vote.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bollum says, The Muse closed for a couple of months, then began reopening gradually. She was able to secure grants from the county that helped her survive. All along the DeLand business district, she says, landlords temporarily reduced rents to help keep their tenants from going under. With very few exceptions, most of DeLand’s downtown businesses are small and privately owned, she notes. By working together, the community got through those dark days, and it has now bounced back stronger than ever, Bollum reports.

Bollum received the Woman of the Year Award from the DeLand Downtown Business and Professional Organization in 1996. She has been listed as a noteworthy Retail Book Store Owner and Educator by Marquis Who’s Who.

These days, her brother Brian helps out at the shop, as needed. At the back of The Muse Bookshop, daughter Ella Ran co-owns Outsiders, a retail store for outdoor adventurers.

Visit The Muse Bookshop at 112 S. Woodland Avenue, DeLand, Florida 32720. DeLand’s award-winning downtown district also features an art museum, eclectic craft and gift stores, restaurants, a brewery, and much more. If you’re in Central Florida, it’s a destination well worth touring, especially if you have a chance to meet and be inspired by Janet Bollum.

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Ginger Pinholster’s second novel, Snakes of St. Augustine, is forthcoming on September 12, 2023 from Regal House Publishing. Her first novel, City in a Forest, won a Gold 2020 Royal Palm Literary Award from the Florida Writer’s Association. She works for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and lives in Ponce Inlet, Florida, where she volunteers with the Volusia-Flagler Turtle Patrol.

Arvida Book Company: A Warm and Nurturing Community Gathering Spot

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by Candi Sary

Arvida Book Company is my local bookstore. Its eclectic décor spans generations of style, pairing unique and edgy artwork with the nostalgic comfort of grandma’s living room. Lantern-like hangings, made of book pages, dangle from the ceiling. Paintings and sculptures by local artists adorn the walls. A turntable near the register plays music from a collection of vintage albums. Tables and shelves are stacked with an impressive variety of new and used books. The children’s section, like an enchanted garden with climbing vines, invites little ones to stay a while. 

Sam and Mike Robertson

One Friday morning I stopped in to talk with owners Samantha and Mike Robertson. We sat together in the burgundy and gold wingback chairs near the coffee counter. Tiny blackboards along the wall offered staff beverage picks—Mike suggested a ‘cortado’ while Sam simply underlined ‘black coffee.’ There in the cozy chairs, with a small rounder of classic literature between us, the couple shared their Arvida story. Opening a bookstore in the age of Amazon and during a pandemic takes a lot of courage and heart. Spending time with the Robertsons, it was clear the two have an abundance of both. 

When the pandemic hit, Mike lost his job and Sam, a flight attendant, worried about losing shifts. She had always dreamed of opening a business sometime in the future. Given the uncertainty of their current situation, they thought, why not now? and set their eyes on a vacant store in their neighborhood. The big corner building, amidst quaint little shops and restaurants of Old Town Tustin, had only switched hands twice. First it was a hardware store, and for the next twenty years it was Mrs. B’s Consignment Store. Sam and Mike loved bookstores. They even had their engagement photos taken at The Last Bookstore in LA. With a leap of faith, in 2020 the Robertsons transformed that vacant building into Arvida Book Company. 

With the help of friends, family, and their two young daughters, Sam and Mike have created a welcoming, comfortable and inspiring atmosphere for the local community. They want Arvida to be more than just a bookstore. Along with author events and several bookclubs, they host a variety of community gatherings. Sam told me how important it is to listen to their customers, tailoring books to local interests, and asking about the needs of the neighborhood. Upon learning that Tustin does not have a community garden, the Robertsons are now involved in making that happen. 

A cozy nook for children

I spent a good deal of time in the store that day. Regulars stopped in to say hello and share friendly chatter. A young couple, who plays chess every morning at one of the outdoor tables, peeked in to say goodbye when they left. During our conversation about the author/artist/community events they host, Sam pointed out a petite woman on the couch beside the turntable. It was Sondos Kholaki whose book I’d seen on the local author shelf. The Robertsons introduced me to the writer who was sitting with a friend, a songwriter. The three of us, though very different kinds of writers, found a connection over our shared love for words. We had an inspiring conversation there beside the wall of local art, with the smell of coffee in the air, and a sense of warmth all around the colorful, nurtured space. And I thought to myself, This is no ordinary bookstore experience. This is Sam and Mike’s vision achieved.

I left that Friday afternoon with the latest Sally Rooney novel, a personally signed copy of Sondos’s book, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I get to call Arvida Book Company my bookstore.

Candi Sary is the author of the book Black Crow White Lie and the recipient of the Reader Views Literary Award, a CIBA Award, and a first runner-up in the Eric Hoffer Book Award. Her novel with Regal House, Magdalena, will be released in the summer of 2023.

Scuppernong Books: It’s All About Community

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by Valerie Nieman

I can honestly say I was there at the beginning.

Several years ago, opening night at Scuppernong Books in downtown Greensboro, NC, featured a warm fellowship of writers and readers, but the space itself was a work in progress. Bare shelves revealed the raddled brick of a succession of businesses. I don’t recall seeing a single fox, the creature that would become the familiar spirit of this place known for “Books Wine Community.”

owner Steve Mitchell

Today the space is bursting with books, new in the front, used in the back, with overflow onto big library tables in the event space. Staff reviews adorn books at front and center, while art and mottos—and foxes—make it hard to remember back when the walls were bare. But the “old home place” atmosphere remains, in assorted vintage armchairs and kitchen table chairs perfect for coffee and conversation. When authors visit, which is frequently, then folding chairs are brought out to offer seating that may or may not be enough—Scuppernong is on the tour list for popular authors such as North Carolina’s own Wiley Cash and kids’ book author Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid).

Co-owners Brian Lampkin and Steve Mitchell, both of them authors as well as booksellers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries, could see something special right from the start.

“I was reluctantly getting into this,” said Lampkin, who had previously owned a bookstore in Buffalo, NY. “I walked into this dead, dilapidated, dead-rat space, but I could see the possibilities of a great bookstore.”

owner Brian Lampkin

“It had been empty for 10 years,” added Mitchell. “The building has been here since 1898. It was a feed and seed store when it started, and then was a bunch of other things. It had been two ‘shotgun’ stores with a wall down the middle.”

If they could see a bright and book-filled future, others were skeptical. The owners admitted that one local funding source, when hearing that they planned to serve wine and beer, thought they were really planning a bar, not opening a bookstore at all.

Greensboro was in a bad place for books when Scuppernong began. Small shops and newsstands had closed, chain outlets had disappeared, leaving only used booksellers to feed the need of local readers downtown. The central business district was just starting the renewal that makes it a lively destination today.

“People were really interested. They came by, looked in the window,” Mitchell said. “Somebody brought us a decorated brick that we still have.”

“And the rock somebody threw through the window a couple of years later,” Lampkin added.

What can you do about bad reviews, right? But truly, Greensboro has taken Scuppernong Books to its heart, and vice versa. “What makes a great bookstore, in part, is that it has a distinct personality. Indie bookstores are always curated to a some degree. There are things we care about, and we are always learning from the community what they need and want. Great bookstores reflect the community,” Mitchell said.

books displayed for upcoming events

Community engagement has taken many forms. The store works with local schools and has set aside space for voter registration efforts in cooperation with the League of Women Voters. Its ongoing commitment to debate and discussion is evidenced in programs such as the Death Cafe about end-of-life issues, a science forum, Ask a Muslim Anything, and book clubs including “Reading the World” and another for poetry. In addition to a full schedule of readings, Scuppernong hosts writing workshops such as “Looking at Short Fiction” featuring five authors from Press 53. There’s also “ScupTV” on You Tube with book reviews and discussion, sock puppet shows, and short clips from presentations. A weekly online magazine, Renard and Raisin, keeps people up to date.

That brings us to the foxes. Red-furred foxes appear in unexpected places, their canny eyes and bright tail-swirls following you around the space. So what’s the connection? Scuppernongs are native grapes, and grapes then make you think of the Aesop fable about the fox and the grapes. Therefore, drawing on the French names, Renard and Raisin.

The biggest event of the year, however, is the Greensboro Bound book festival, launching in 2018 under the umbrella of Greensboro Literary Organization which the bookstore was instrumental in founding. The name comes from Greensboro’s history as a major railroad hub, and the festival logo features crossed railroad tracks. At venues across town, readers get to meet dozens of writers both national and regional. “After our first Greensboro Bound, people came to us and said this really feels like a festival for writers,” said Lampkin. “As writers ourselves, we knew how to keep writers happy.” I can verify that engaged presenters make for happy audiences!

Memoirist James Tate Hills reads from Blind Man’s Bluff

Readings are a major part of the indie bookstore scene, and Scuppernong is incredibly supportive of authors, but there is a learning curve. “Most authors who’ve done it for a while have modulated their expectations, but new authors may expect big crowds,” said Mitchell. “We tried for a long time to make all authors happy, from self-published to big names, but the realities of the book business make it hard. We’re more empathetic to writers because we both understand what a tough racket this is.”

The store has been getting noticed far and wide. “We were in Time magazine, the centerfold actually,” said Lampkin. “Lev Grossman did an article on independent bookstores for an issue on the best reasons to live in America.” The store has also been recognized by Southern Living as one of the best bookstores in the South, and received awards from the North Carolina Writers Conference, Arts Greensboro, Friends of the UNCG Libraries, and more.

Some controversy has come about as well. When the store hosted Bronwen Dickey for her book Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon, anti-pit bull folks were enraged. Hate mail poured in from across the nation. More recently, the store’s adherence to vaccine guidance, including the requirement for a vaccination card if people wish to unmask for eating and drinking, has drawn some hostile responses.

Like most retailers, Scuppernong Books has had to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic and the slow return to a new sort of normal. “People understand that shopping local nurtures their own environment. They want local business, and COVID really strengthened that. If they wanted restaurants and retailers to still be there, they knew they had to support them,” said Mitchell.

When the shutdowns hit early in 2020, the store was closed to foot traffic, and for several months, Scuppernong survived on mail orders and curbside delivery. The coffee, wine, and small plates service at the cafe was shuttered. But the lights are coming on again, and book lovers are again gathering at the bar for coffee or a glass of wine or local beer to warm their conversations.

Like other businesses, Scuppernong has experienced “the well-documented supply chain issues with printing, and shipping—COVID makes it difficult,” said Mitchell. Lampkin noted that opposition to Amazon has helped indie bookshops, however, because they offer atmosphere and human contact as a counter to “price-matching.”

Author Valerie Nieman (center in yellow) at the launch for To the Bones

So what’s next for Scuppernong Books? When the store opened in 2013, each of the owners brought special knowledge and love to make it a success—Mitchell had been a chef for a number of years (and worked in mental health), while Lampkin was an experienced bookseller.

“Steve and I are no longer young. Ferlinghetti (founder of City Lights Books in San Francisco) made it to 101—I don’t know if that’s in our plan. We do put a lot into this,” said Lampkin. Bringing renewed energy to the business is Shannon Jones, a longtime employee who recently joined the ownership. “She’s as committed as we are, and will bring new ideas and new thinking. We’ll continue Greensboro Bound, and now we are publishing books,” said Lampkin. “We don’t have grand visions of change. Maybe we have an archaic myth of the idea of bookstores.”

Michell added, “The idea is that a bookstore will be an energetic space, not a quiet, dusty place.”

Scuppernong Books

304 South Elm Street

Greensboro NC 27401

(336) 828-1588

[email protected]

Valerie Nieman, author of In the Lonely Backwater (coming from Fitzroy Books in the summer of 2022), To the Bones, and three earlier novels, a short fiction collection, and three poetry books. Her award-winning poetry and short prose have been published here and abroad. She has held state and NEA creative writing fellowships.

Shifting my Perspective: A Conversation with Sarah Hollenbeck of Women and Children First

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by Alex Poppe

Women and Children First (WCF) is much more than a book store, it is a force for social change. In 2019, after forty years of being open, the store closed for a full day retreat and wrote their mission statement declaring that books are tools, and literature can be transformative. WCF recognizes that who is underrepresented evolves, so it focuses on centering the most oppressed voices to make sure everyone is at the table, and are curated on the front table, greeting customers as they walk into the store. Trans writers, Black female trans writers, and indigenous writers are represented in fiction, poetry, memoirs, the children’s section and as well as in non-fiction, their books’ front covers visibly facing out. Customers come into the store, see these covers, see writers or characters that look like them, and think, “Their voices matter…My voice matter.” Books are the catalyst for these watershed moments.

I asked Sarah what she thought about the latest legislative rulings which block trans teens from participating in high school sports. As a trans inclusive book store in the trans inclusive neighborhood of Andersonville on the northside of Chicago, Sarah is figuring out how the store can be a resource to fight back. She is aware that she embodies a unique dichotomy: perceived as not having power as a disabled woman while having power as a white woman and small business owner. (When Sarah commented on how white women have misused power, she shifted my perspective.) As political as it is literary, WCF aims to leverage their power in the community to make substantive change which is not easily eroded. She believes in acknowledging the past harm done and works towards repairing that harm (WCF was not always trans inclusive). Her efforts were acknowledged when WCF was used as the set for an episode of season two of Showtime’s Work in Progress, which was created by two of WCF’s favorite customers, Abby McEnany and Lily Wachowski. Work in Progress captures the conversation and tension within the feminist movement right now in terms of trans inclusion and trans visibility. It is no wonder that WCF’s avatar is a gender fluid person with purple (a feminist color) hair.

Trans affirming community activation

WCF’s creation story starts with co-founders, Ann Christophersen and Linda Bubon, who met as graduate students at the University of Illinois at Chicago while studying English Literature.  Time and time again, they would come across a woman writer they wanted to study, such as Virginia Woolf, Kate Millet, or Edith Wharton, only to discover their books were not readily available. At the time, second-wave feminism was in full force, and activists around the country were starting collectives and businesses of all kinds, including feminist presses and bookstores. It was against this backdrop that Ann and Linda decided that how they would support themselves would also be their contribution to the women’s movement. 1n 1979, they opened WCF in a modest storefront on Armitage Avenue.  Over the years, WCF has been located in several locations on Chicago’s northside. In 1990, WCF moved to the Andersonville neighborhood after being recruited by a committee of Edgewater business owners. The feminist bookstore has been evolving and growing with the neighborhood ever since.

Sarah (second from the right, upper row) and a group of authors

Sarah was thirty years old when she and Lynn Mooney finalized the paperwork to co-own the bookstore. Overnight, Sarah went from being a part-time WCF bookseller to being a primary caretaker. The bookstore itself and most of its staff at the time were older than she. Beyond her youth, Sarah is a disabled woman, which means she always has to work twice as hard to be heard and earn mere scraps of credibility. Although Sarah initially approached Lynn about throwing their shared hat in the ring to buy the store, it never really felt like a decision. Women & Children First was a place that Sarah loved and wanted to survive. Having been raised by parents who were invested in community, Sarah understood the need to support small businesses from a young age. Her mother was the best customer at a tiny feminist bookstore in Sarah’s hometown of Toledo, Ohio. That store has since closed, and so the calling to own WCF was very close to her heart.

Alex Poppe is the author of Girl, World, which was named a 35 Over 35 Debut Book Award winner, First Horizon Award finalist, Montaigne Medal finalist, was short-listed for the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize, was awarded an Honorable Mention in General Fiction from the Eric Hoffer Awards and was recommended by the US Review of Books. Alex’s novella Duende will be published by Regal House Publishing in the summer of 2022.

Connect, Inspire & Explore: Commonplace Reader, Yardley, PA

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By David R. Roth  

Photos Courtesy of Cindy Fatsis

Commonplace Reader

Back in 2019, as I followed the transformation of the modest, 150-year-old Victorian house on South Main Street in Yardley Borough into a bookstore, I had no idea that its owner and I had something in common: long deferred dreams coming true that fall.

When Elizabeth (Liz) Young moved to Yardley Borough in 1991, she had never heard of the municipal designation borough. She was immediately attracted to the idea of living in a close-knit community centered around a walkable downtown that brought to mind Miss Marple’s St. Mary’s Mead. There was just one thing missing from the quaint downtown of her adopted borough: a bookstore.

The seeds of a dream were sown, but Liz was busy raising three kids and working. The bookstore idea became something she would do eventually. The dream seeds would take thirty years to sprout, benefiting from an influx of time and energy called retirement.

Liz Young

Liz began researching bookstore reality in late 2018. By early 2019 she had watched every online video she could find, built a thick 3-ring notebook of how-to resources, and attended a “Bookstore Boot Camp” on Amelia Island, Florida with thirty other aspiring booksellers. She was ready to start looking at rental properties. Guided by her English village vision, she was committed to the idea of a house downtown. She wanted the cozy factor, an environment that felt homey and inviting, especially for kids. She imagined a room where children would gather for story hour, a room where book clubs would meet, chairs so shoppers could sit and sample selections, and nooks where young readers could linger. 49 S. Main Street checked all the boxes.

Next, she needed a name. She was attracted to the concept of the commonplace book that was widely used back in the days when the Yardley family was farming the land and the town was called Yardleyville. A commonplace book is devoted to capturing those day-to-day things its keeper finds remarkable, whether a revealing bit of conversation, an inspiring poem, or the clever design of a building. It is not intended to be used for mundane things, such as to-do lists or keeping a chronological diary.

A reading nook for young readers

Liz, an educator at heart, loved that such books were reference tools for personal enrichment, for remembering the remarkable. She also liked that common suggests that anyone can be such a reader. She wanted to create a space where the entire community would feel welcome to explore new ideas and activities. Commonplace Reader would be that place.

A logo was next and, in another nod to the rich history of the borough, Commonplace Reader’s logo features Franki the barge mule pulling a load of books along the Delaware Canal, a major transportation artery for regional commerce and connection for almost one hundred years. The combination of the mule barge, the commonplace book, and Liz’s curated inventory perfectly captures the themes she has established for her enterprise: Connect, Inspire & Explore.

 Liz’s nine-month journey from dream to launch required a great deal of research and planning. She is particularly proud that the realization of her vision for a community meeting house has been such a local undertaking. “My carpenter, lawyer, accountant, landlord, the ship and print shop, the guys who installed my security system, even the bakery that provided the pastries for my opening are all within a block of our front door.”  Even so, there was one aspect of the undertaking that took her by surprise: the tremendous outpouring of unsolicited support she received from the community.

One of the first people to reach out was literary agent, Mackenzie Brady Watson (SK Agency). A ten-year publishing industry veteran, Watson knows how special indie booksellers are to authors and to the health of the industry. When she read about what Liz was up to, she immediately contacted her to offer support.

“I’ve been so impressed by all that she’s accomplished,” Watson said. “She’s made the store such a welcoming place; my daughter loves the puppy dog pillows and train set upstairs. The thing about Liz, she always takes time to speak with her customers, she remembers their family members’ names and book tastes, and always has some news to share.”

Yardley-based marketer Lisa Gage (Hue Entertainment), reached out to Liz to hold a virtual book launch for local area author Lise Deguire’s memoir Flashback Girl. The event was so successful they did a second one. “I admire Liz’s mission to be a resource for the community,” Gage said. “Her store quickly became a place where people get together to share common interests.”

Deguire added, “Liz has been a terrific supporter of Flashback Girl and the works of other local writers. She has created a home for book lovers that is warm and welcoming, and where the staff is present and helpful.”

Another local writer, Marc Kaye, hosts monthly writing workshops in the store. “The emergence of the wealth of local talent has been something,” Kaye said. “A community of writers has come together all thanks to this great business.”

Staffer Amy DeLeo is delighted that the store has enjoyed such positive, enthusiastic support, but is not surprised. “Liz always finds a way to create an inclusive atmosphere, for us and our customers. Particularly during this rough pandemic year, we hope we’ve helped lift folks’ spirits.”

Meanwhile, in a parallel universe, I had deferred my dream of being an author for thirty years while my wife and I also raised three kids and worked. My dream, too, would become a reality only after I retired.

When I walked into Commonplace Reader this year, I told Liz my first novel, The Femme Fatale Hypothesis, had been scheduled for release by Regal House Publishing, an independent, traditional publisher with a love of intimate, independent bookstores. I asked if she would be interested in a BookBound profile. She responded with all the qualities her fans describe: warmth, enthusiasm, and a genuine interest in me, both what I’m writing and, naturally, what I’m reading. In an era dominated by online bookstores and anonymous “influencers,” Yardley Borough’s Commonplace Reader and its passionate owner are refreshingly uncommon.

David R. Roth, author of The Femme Fatale Hypothesis, is a graduate of the Cedar Crest College’s Pan-European MFA program. He placed second in the inaugural Bucks County Short Fiction Contest judged by Janet Benton (Lilli de Jong) and was a quarter-finalist in Driftwood Press’s Adrift Short Story Contest. His short stories have been published by Passenger Journal and Moss.

The Book Cellar: A Chicago Literary Haven Since 2004

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By Alex Poppe

When I asked Suzy Takacs, the owner of Lincoln Square’s The Book Cellar, an independent bookstore on Chicago’s northwest side, what TV series would use her space as a recurring location, she didn’t hesitate with her one-word answer: Cheers. After sitting down to talk with her, it is easy to see why. In our pre-Covid-19 days, not only did this beloved neighborhood fixture serve up some of the best wines by the glass and small plates in the city to accompany its exceptionally well-curated book collection, but more important, it was a home away from home for many of its clients. In fact, when one customer’s son ran away from home, he ran to The Book Cellar, where his mom waited for him to cool down under the staff’s watchful, caring eye.

Another regular used The Book Cellar as a refuge when got locked out of his own home. Older clients who have moved out of the neighborhood to enter assisted living facilities have had their children bring them to The Book Cellar when their children came to visit. One long time regular had the unofficial job of turning the OPEN sign on when he came in. But perhaps the biggest testament to the importance of The Book Cellar in the local community is the $40,000 fans donated through a GoFundMe page last April to help The Book Cellar stay afloat while many businesses in the city capsized due to Covid-19. I asked Suzy what her secret was for inspiring such loyalty. She credited hard work, participating in the local chamber of commerce and in schools, and her commitment to the community, but I have another idea. I think the secret weapon is Suzy. Here’s why.

Suzy wants The Book Cellar to convey a “homey, cozy feel.” She accomplishes this by treating people as if they are coming to her home when they come to her store. She explained that the customer’s experience is personal for her, meaning if someone has a bad experience, she takes it personally. Her concern for the personal, Susy’s heart, is why The Book Cellar is a singular space, a gathering place, a place for conversation, and why it has been with us since 2004. No wonder The Book Cellar team dropped a customer’s purchase off to the customer when pick-up hours conflicted with the customer’s work schedule.

Suzy’s heart extends to her staff. My mouth fell open when she told me she had been practicing appointment only shopping because her staff didn’t feel comfortable with public browsing when Chicago’s positivity rates were above 9%. I was so impressed that her concern for her staff’s and their families’ well-being is more important to her than making money. That is true leadership.

The Book Cellar, 4736 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

https://www.bookcellarinc.com/

Alex Poppe is the author of Girl, World, which was named a 35 Over 35 Debut Book Award winner, First Horizon Award finalist, Montaigne Medal finalist, was short-listed for the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize, was awarded an Honorable Mention in General Fiction from the Eric Hoffer Awards and was recommended by the US Review of Books. Alex’s novella Duende will be published by Regal House Publishing in the summer of 2022.

These are a few of my favorite things: Amherst, MA, public libraries

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by Shirley Reva Vernick

The Jones Library

Back when I was checking out towns in which to raise my children, one of the first local stops was always the public library. The Jones Library in Amherst, MA clinched it for me. Nestled in a stately stone building right off the main street, the library bustled with patrons of all ages that day—people reading, learning, enjoying group activities, installing exhibits, and generally creating an energized atmosphere of community. My family moved to town within a few months of that visit.

Originally housed in a local hotel, the 102-year-old Amherst library system now includes the main Jones branch and two satellites to serve the town’s 40,000 residents. Through the years, the library has loaned millions of books and digital media; hosted thousands of meetings, book talks and musical events; and continually applied new technology to the service of patrons. Need to borrow a ukulele, an air quality monitor, a museum pass, or a wireless hotspot? Incredibly, it’s just a library card away.

Literal—and literary—riches

Linda Wentworth, head of adult collections, says she has her dream job at the Jones. “I get to work with a community that’s insane about reading, and I have the privilege of managing a 300,000-item collection, some of it in multiple foreign languages.”

The Jones is now teaming up with another library in town, the national Yiddish Book Center, to (remotely) celebrate Coming to America. With the financial and intellectual support of the Yiddish Book Center, the Jones has arranged a reading group to discuss three books of Yiddish literature in translation, plus a fourth book related to one of Amherst’s larger immigrant communities: the Chinese. 

The discussion series, facilitated by Wentworth, will use these books to explore the ways in which immigrants change our country, and the ways in which our country changes those who immigrate here. Through these discussions, participants will explore the range of immigrant experiences and how these experiences are portrayed in literature. 

Another project on the drawing board is an ongoing book concierge service. Patrons will be invited to specify what kinds of books they like, and the staff will put two relevant selections on hold for them each month. Now, that’s my kind of book-of-the-month club!

Start ’em young

The library’s youth services have enjoyed increased attendance over the last five years, thanks to a trifecta of new children’s programs, the creation of a young-adult librarian position, and a focus on inclusivity.

A captivated audience

“Public libraries used to expect teens to act like adults and use the adult spaces,” notes library director Sharon Sharry. “Now that the Jones has given teens a dedicated space, their own programming, and a specialized librarian, we’ve become a cool place for YAs to hang out.”

The children’s room is continuously finding ways to embrace diversity. For instance, the library used to host an annual American Girl doll party, where girls could bring their American Girl dolls and participate in related activities. “But American Girl dolls are expensive,” says Mia Cabana, youth services director, “and are traditionally only for girls. So now we do a teddy bear/doll tea party, where both boys and girls are welcome, and the toy you bring doesn’t need to be fancy.”

Some children have adopted this party as a way to explore their sexual identity. Whether it’s a boy bringing a doll or a girl dressing up in a bowtie, all are welcome.

Something special

Many times over the years, I’ve lost myself in the library’s special collections. What a treasure—especially, in my opinion, the manuscript collections of local icons Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost. I was so delighted to find a handwritten rough draft of Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” I was afraid I’d stare the ink right off the page. I’m also partial to the Amherst authors collection, which showcases books and articles written by Amherst residents from 1730 to today. You can find Noah Webster’s lexicographical studies, Robert Francis’s poetry, Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth (my personal childhood favorite), and much more.

“The special collections allow people to bridge Amherst’s past to its present,” says Cyndi Harbeson, head of special collections. “Whether I’m sharing famous historical manuscripts or tracking the provenance of local buildings, I love working with school children, high school and college students, genealogists, international scholars, and general Amherst residents.”

Harbeson points out that the collections also highlight non-celebrity residents, including “regular” people’s historic photos, scrapbooks, store records, maps and legal deeds. “We serve as a repository for local Cambodian refugees’ records too,” she adds. “My hope is to expand this initiative and make the special collections more representative of our community.”

When we’re apart

Quarantine, unfortunately, has closed the buildings. Nevertheless, the library services persist. The award-winning ESL and citizenship programs have thrived remotely. Dungeons & Dragons tournaments, wee sing-alongs, bilingual story times, tech support for personal computers—all these are thriving virtually, as are author interviews, art instruction, and music lessons.

In addition to keeping its digital materials and research tools available, the Jones has developed an effective protocol for socially distanced book borrowing. The main branch is offering home delivery, as well as weather-dependent outdoor pickup. Meanwhile, the South Amherst branch has taken a page from the “wine windows” that dotted Florence, Italy, during the 17th-century bubonic plague scourge. Wine merchants during that time built tiny windows through which they could pass wine flasks, thus avoiding direct contact with customers. In just this way, the South Amherst branch is passing bagged books to patrons.

Love ya, tomorrow

In 2021, the Jones is hoping to begin a significant building renovation, updating existing structures and adding new space. The library has already been offered a state grant to help support the renovation. Now the staff is awaiting a town council vote on whether to underwrite the balance. “I’m very optimistic,” says Sharry.

The library also plans to rev up its nascent anti-racism movement. “We want every person who crosses our threshold to feel at home,” Sharry says. Indeed, one highly visible example of this initiative greets patrons as soon as they walk through the Jones’ front door. The large painting in the entryway titled “English Nobleman” (often mistaken for Lord Jeffrey Amherst, the man purported to have sent smallpox-infected blankets to Native Americans in the 18th century) has been replaced with a landscape.

Jorge Luis Borges imagined paradise as a kind of library. It seems to me that the Jones is, if not a literal paradise, then certainly a warm and welcoming place for exploration and self-expansion. I can’t wait to be able to pop back in for a browse, and I’m grateful for the staff’s creative and technical expertise that keeps me connected in the meantime.

Shirley Reva Vernick is the author of The Blood Lie, Remembering Dippy, and The Black Butterfly. Her work has garnered innumerable awards and recognition, some of which include: the American Library Association Best Fiction Books for Young Readers List, Simon Wiesenthal Once Upon A World Book Award, Dolly Gray Literature Award from the Council for Exceptional Children, Langum Prize for American Historical Fiction. Fitzroy Books is proud to publish Ripped Away in 2022.

Bookbound: Amherst Books

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A literary powerhouse in Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley

by Shirley Reva Vernick

What better place to locate a bookstore—one with a sprawling poetry section—than just up the street from Emily Dickinson’s house and around the corner from Robert Frost’s home? Amherst Books proprietors Shannon Ramsey and Nat Herold knew what they were doing when they chose Amherst, MA for their indie bookstore in 2003. And they’ve been delighting customers ever since with their diverse collection (including small press offerings), outstanding literary events, and welcoming atmosphere.

Amherst Books and I arrived in town just months apart in the early 2000s. Even after all these years, I still get a special joy when I walk inside, like I’m coming home. The literature wall with the rolling ladder, the spacious children’s corner, the comfortable armchairs, and the warm lighting all combine to create a timeless, made-for-bibliophiles quality. As one Yelp reviewer wrote, “Pitch me a tent, and I’ll just live here.”

Discussing the magic of bookstores with me, Nat quotes French philosopher Roland Barthes, who said, “Every book chooses its reader.” Nat adds, “I like to say we’re midwives in that process.”

And what well-stocked shelves these midwives keep! The store carries new and used books from local, national and international authors, including no fewer than 45 books by or about Emily Dickinson alone. With particular strengths in philosophy and poetry, the collection also includes general and science fiction, children’s literature, and books about cooking, history, gender studies, women’s studies, black studies, the sciences, essays and more.

In addition, Amherst Books hosts around 170 literary events yearly (when the country isn’t in quarantine). Luminaries like Min Jin Lee, Jericho Brown, James Tate, and Norton Juster have given talks or done readings here. So have regular-Joe local authors like yours truly. As a writer, I believe that a book’s story isn’t complete until it’s read and, ideally, discussed. Platforms that bring authors and readers together in one room elevate this co-creation to new levels. I’m grateful to Amherst Books for hosting the launch of all my books to date. 

Booksellers’ origin stories

Nat grew up in a house of books and readers. “We were so bad about returning all the library books we borrowed,” he remembers, “that the Washington, D.C. public library would send a truck around once a year or so to take back their books. They never cut off our borrowing, however.”

Books were also a way for Nat to communicate with his father, who was an alcoholic. “Often the only way to spend time with him was to talk about books,” Nat recalls. “Recommending new books to each other was how we bonded.”

Shannon too took refuge in reading as a youngster. “Books carried me through a lot of lonely times,” she remembers.  “So, when I was looking at colleges and saw UMass’s 26-floor DuBois Library, I knew I was going to go to school in Amherst! Once there, I got a job at the library, which then opened doors for me at Amherst Books.”

Bookselling was a natural fit for Nat because it allowed him to continue surrounding himself with books and connecting with people through book recommendations. “In other sorts of retail, you don’t learn anything meaningful about the person who’s buying, say, tissues,” he notes. “But a person reveals a lot about themselves by the books they choose.”

Shannon is on the same page (pun intended). “What I love most about bookselling,” she says, “is the idea that reading, which helped me when I was lonely, could also be the thing that connects me to others.”

Lean times

Thriving as an indie bookstore is never a given in these times of fierce competition and consumer focus on the digital. Nat attributes Amherst Books’ success to strong customer service, a uniquely curated book selection, and a robust reading and book launch roster.

Shannon ascribes their progress to two components. “First and foremost, we have stayed true to our core, book-loving selves,” she says. “We constantly remember what brought us to reading and then do our best to translate that to our community.” Secondly, she and Nat know their community well. “This allows us to reflect the community back to itself by way of a carefully chosen collection.”

To supplement their revenue, Amherst Books now carries certain non-book items, including literary tote bags, postcards, and book-themed T-shirts. “We’re giving people an alternative to online shopping,” says Shannon. “An alternative that allows direct interaction with products and the chance to socialize with staff and other visitors.”

Going local

Shannon and Nat are personally committed to a vision of sustainability that promotes growing roots and being part of the local community. How lucky for readers and authors alike that this shared value produced Amherst Books.

Shirley Reva Vernick is the author of The Blood Lie, Remembering Dippy, and The Black Butterfly. Her work has garnered innumerable awards and recognition, some of which include: the American Library Association Best Fiction Books for Young Readers List, Simon Wiesenthal Once Upon A World Book Award, Dolly Gray Literature Award from the Council for Exceptional Children, Langum Prize for American Historical Fiction. Fitzroy Books is proud to publish Ripped Away in 2022.