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Happy Birthday University Book Store!

January 8, 2010 in bookstore, essay by Kim | 2 comments

University Book Store in Seattle, WA (the most literary city in the nation, just ask anyone from Seattle) is celebrating its 110th birthday on Sunday, that’s 110 on 1/10/10.  In honor of this numerically significant birthday, the store asked 110 authors to each write a 110 word essay.  The results are published in 110/110.  Buy a book by one of the 110 contributors during 2010 and you’ll receive a free copy of 110/110.  Several selections are accessible through the website, but Lensey Namioka’s contribution resonated with me:

“Why do I spend so much time in the University Bookstore?  Let
me count the ways:
pawing through the box of books on sale;
reading the titles of books recommended by the staff;
visiting the children’s department and seeing kids listening to their
mother reading something aloud;
flipping through books in the humor section and giggling, until I see
someone staring at me;
browsing in the travel section and dreaming about visiting some of the places mentioned;
looking for a birthday card for a friend, trying to find one that
doesn’t tell her she’s an antique;
needing a break, and going to the café to eat a cranberry-apple scone.”

Lensey pretty much sums up my favorite bookstore experiences.

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Abraxus Books in Seattle, WA

January 29, 2009 in bookstore, first editions, used books by Kim | No comments

The Ballard News-Tribune recently published an article about Abraxus Books describing it as an “old world approach to bookstores.”  I love the atmosphere it described, a former library offering over 120,000 used books to peruse.  Abraxus has a nice online store also, offering Internet specials and free shipping in the United States for orders over $30.  However, owner Tony Topalian and the staff prefer to deal with customers in person to help them explore their interests.  It sounds like a nice way to combine the old and the new.  If you’re in the area, stop by and let the staff help you discover something new.

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One of the Nation’s Best – The Elliott Bay Book Company

November 16, 2008 in One of the Nation's Best, Uncategorized, book review, bookstore, first editions, gifts by Kim | No comments

A Gem still Glows

Eighteen years ago I visited Seattle for the first time.  It was our first weekend trip away from a job I hated and a city I swore I would never live in (now I realize I’ll live in Los Angeles for the rest of my life, but I did get rid of that job).  The angst I felt over all the changes in my life lifted the moment I walked into The Elliott Bay Book Company.  I found a book during that first visit about living in suburbia; the recommendation card described the tedium of living in tract housing as the constant evenly paced whoosh of a Rainbird sprinkler.  The description struck me, so I bought the book.  It detailed the brain-numbing monotony of suburban life.  Whenever I drive through tract housing I feel that oppression.

Interestingly enough, during my recent trip to Elliot Bay, I bought two more books about home life (really, they have over 150,000 titles, the breadth and depth of the store is amazing, I just seem to have a theme whenever I go there).  When I walked into the store I was a bit overwhelmed by all of the choices.  In front of me as soon as I entered where four 9 foot or taller bookshelves full of staff recommendations.  I wanted all of them.  More recommendations were spread among the various subjects.  An entire bookshelf is dedicated to recommendations for books groups (plus book groups can meet with a staff member to discuss recommendations for their group and tips on how to keep the conversation on topic).  I gave up trying to make a decision and asked the woman at the information desk if there was a unique book she liked.  She had two that she talked about as we walked over to the books (I learned later that employees are trained to walk the customer over to the book they’re asking about chatting with them the entire way, I loved it).  The first was Cost by Roxana Robinson, a story of what all of us give up for family.  I haven’t read it yet, but I’m looking forward to it.  Hmm, is this the appropriate book to be reading around the Christmas tree surrounded by family?  Maybe not.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Used Bookstores 101

October 29, 2008 in Uncategorized by Kim | 8 comments

While I’ve been visiting independent bookstores wherever I am for years, since we started the blog, I’ve hunted down stores with a renewed vigor.  The number of used bookstores surprises me.  The rents are so expensive in Los Angeles that independent bookstores selling new books withevents and activities struggle, so covering the overhead with a stock of used books is doubly difficult.  As I’ve visited used bookstores over the last several weeks, I’m jealous of the communities that have them.

I’ve found that used bookstores fall into three broad categories:  those that sell mass paperbacks, those that resemble a bookstore with new books but the stock is used, and those that carry fine or collectible books (calling them a used bookstore is a bit like calling an antique store a used furniture store).  One of the attractions is the discounted price for everyone, but also the potential trade polices.  Many bookstores give credit for donated books that can be used to purchase other used books.  Some stores pay for used books, but those tend to be for collectible or rare books.  As I’ve wandered through the used bookstores, I’ve noticed that the owners are extremely knowledgeable about books, their stock, and what they see coming through.  They all knew the American Guide Series and gave me advice on how to collect them (avoid reprints), although none of them had any at the time.  I found these fun stores recently: Read the rest of this entry »

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Grand Prix d’Escargot

October 19, 2008 in Uncategorized by Kim | No comments

When I entered The Globe Bookstore in Seattle, Washington, I was the only customer and the owner, John Siscoe, calmly rocked back and forth in a chair in the center of the store.  He apologized for the door being closed and the stuffy atmosphere, but he needed a break from the street music.  He emphasized that he liked the music, he just needed a break.  I understood; I have a teenager.

The Globe Bookstore is small, a standard store front with a little more depth, but bookcases climbing up all of the walls and open space filled with free-standing racks and shelves.  I headed to the recommendation shelf and John made it clear that the only book he personally recommended was the “Grand Prix d’Escargot,”  all the other books were suggested by customers and he hadn’t read them.  I thought for a moment, I know a lot of book prizes, but not all of them.  My memory isn’t what it used to be, but I was confident that if I had ever heard of the Snail’s Grand Prize, I would have remembered it.  So I asked, what is it?  Read the rest of this entry »

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