When I was under fifteen, we used to live near a great independent bookshop. The woman who ran it was *fantastic*! She remembered everybody’s names, could remember their orders almost off the top of her head, and was such a cheerful person.
And yes, when she passed away, the store basically died immediately. I’m pretty sure I still have a bookmark of hers around here somewhere.
We still have some good independent bookstores here. Magers & Quinn in particular has thrived, even though the Borders across the street closed well before the chain went under.
Borders was OK. B. Dalton was better. But the Indy shops were the most interesting of all.
“Were”?
*looking forward to my next visit tomorrow to my indy bookshop, because Stumptown Vol. 4 and a new Star Trek novel from Una McCormack*
Do you remember Brentao’s? Now that was a bookstore!
Typos!
Do you remember Brentano’s? Now that was a bookstore!
As a born and bred New Yorker, I remember Brentano’s well. I bought Charles Addams’ “Black Maria” there when it was first published.
When I was under fifteen, we used to live near a great independent bookshop. The woman who ran it was *fantastic*! She remembered everybody’s names, could remember their orders almost off the top of her head, and was such a cheerful person.
And yes, when she passed away, the store basically died immediately. I’m pretty sure I still have a bookmark of hers around here somewhere.
We still have some good independent bookstores here. Magers & Quinn in particular has thrived, even though the Borders across the street closed well before the chain went under.
Sadly, Uncle Hugo’s Science Fiction Bookstore/Uncle Edgar’s Mystery Bookstore got burned down in last year’s riots.