The venerable literary blog, Bookslut, has an interesting interview with Brent Legault, the owner of Ada Books in Providence, RI. Mr. Legault speaks to an issue I’ve always wondered about, do Easterners get more work done in the fall, winter, spring and maybe even summer because the weather is so awful? Or, to flip the question, are we less productive in Southern California because the weather is flat out wonderful for so much of the year? Mr. Legault doesn’t answer my question exactly, but he recently moved to Providence from New Orleans and finds the literary scene in Providence better. Specifically, it is “foaming or fomenting” in part because the bars close early and it is cold six months of the year.
I enjoyed his answer to the learning curve he’s experienced owning his own store:
Before I opened my shop I thought all a person had to do to be successful in this business was to put good books on the shelves and wait for customers to buy them. But I found that word of mouth, at least in my case, does not travel at the speed of sound. And I have no money to advertise with, except through handbills and flyers. When I do have a little extra money, I spend it on books. I’m still trapped on that learning curve, by the bye. Business is good this month but next month I’m sure to be sitting here, alone, wishing for some company, and that learning curve could easily turn into a dead man’s curve.
So, if you’re in Providence, RI, stop by and keep him company.
Ada Books
727 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903
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.
Claire
Kim
