Washington NC is a sleepy town of 10,112, unless someone died or was born since we visited. It was deserted when we arrived, but it was 100 degrees in the shade and maybe most humans preferred to survive and declined strolling outdoors. Self titled “The Heart of the Inner Banks,” it’s bisected by the waters … Read more
I’ve been pondering and concentrating upon what I used to do all day as a bookseller. That aside, there was the slight difficulty of deciding which place of employment to remember–there were a few over the years, and each individual shop had its quirks and perks. Foul Play, a small well established mystery bookstore in … Read more
I’ve never heard of someone demanding a bookseller remove an “offensive” book from their store before. I don’t think as a bookseller, I’ve ever encountered it. But some others have, and it begs the question, where does it end? The bookseller in the article questions his ordering practices–wondering if what he decides to purchase and … Read more
It wasn’t until I started at the second mystery bookshop, that I learned how important a signed book is. The first store I worked in, Foul Play, although delightful, was small and predominately paperbacks. An author signing his or her book, never occurred to me. Not until a local author dropped by and asked if … Read more
A super article highlights some fantastic bookstores in NYC. I frequented quite a few while living there, especially the superlative, Partners & Crime. Read some tidbits about why they continue to be successful. http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/little-giants-in-the-bookstore-world-big-is-not-better-1.2689092
Liking your customers. OK, if not entirely in love, then at least tolerating their reading habits and purchases, and doing it while seeming to like the customers. Why is this simple thing so essential, and for some, so hard to accomplish? It’s essential for economic reasons. You buy books for the store. You need to … Read more
There are thousands of old books out there minus their original dust jackets. Some are first editions, some are not. There are a few talented people who work at restoring the original book covers, front, back, and flaps. Why should used bookshops be interested? A book that is in fairly decent condition and found … Read more
Offending a book lover’s ol factory can be costly.
