July 25, 2008
· Filed under General
Fortunately that is what Middlebury, Vermont is experiencing today. Phew! All the rain brought wet floors down here in the bookstore. In case you didn’t know we are located in the basement of the old Lazarus building. Not a good place one would think for used books but generally it is dry. Only when we get the downpours that we recently had. Just had the carpet cleaned and I’m so appreciative of Mr. Allen driving down from Vergennes on such a short notice to help me out. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now I have to contend with moving boxes of books back as well as contemplating where I want to move the First Editions and Collector’s Corner. They are currently located in ‘that’ corner - the swamp as we have been referring it to. I know that area has had that grand distinction of being a special corner (NO! not for being a swamp, silly, but for hosting the 1st editions and collections). I guess I would feel better if it was moved. But to where? That would mean moving so many books around! Well, guess I talked myself out of that! They are staying put. For now anyways.
Now I have to move the boxes again out of the aisles. So guess I better get moving!
July 15, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized
I was told that generally the July 4th weekend isn’t busy but not true! Very busy. In fact, I just looked at my watch and it is after 4 o’clock. I haven’t even finished my morning coffee. Don’t worry, I won’t. I had hoped that I would be able to get through some of the boxes that have been piling up here but no. In fact some very great friends came in to bring me more. Wow! One woman brought in two big bags. Another two boxes. I get so overwhelmed of the generosity of people who are indeed friends! They want to see the store succeed and to that I am taken back and so humbled. To them and others who have dropped off books since we have owned the store I am indebted to them. The Valley Voice just did a small feature on the store which has brought wonderful attention. Cheryl, Jennifer and the rest of the staff at the weekly countywide paper really do right for small businesses. Though there was a tiny error in the article - I was actually born in (sigh) NY not Middlebury. Hudson, NY.
I brought in my camera to take photos of the store since it was suppose to be slow. Well, that didn’t happen but I’m not complaining. Business was good. I had been waiting for the new sign to be included but that’s going to be a while since I haven’t even ordered it yet! Money has gone into books instead of marketing. Soon though.
July 3, 2008
· Filed under General · Tagged Bill McKibben, craft, fiction, gardening, hard cover, john elder, middlebury, non-fiction, otter creek used books, paperback, ron powers, vermont, vt
That’s what we are! We have been so busy with books that have recently come in - and some great titles, too! I’ve been walking around what has become a maze (and in a daze) of boxes of books maneuvering around the store. The good thing is I’m seeing a dent in the work we have been doing and trying to stay ahead of the holes on the shelves. I’ll have a book in my hand say Kurt Vonnegut for example and put the book up and the next thing someone purchases it. Hard to stay ahead sometimes. But we feel the offerings are starting to improve. And of course, I would much rather see the book go to a good home than sit on the shelf and (I shutter) collect dust! And it also reminds me of what authors we need to keep stock of as best we can.
Receiving boxes is so much fun! It is clearly an adventure opening the box to discover what’s inside. Sometimes it is a let down because it is so full of books that didn’t sell at their yard sale! Pooh! But then there is someone’s collection that they need to part with - cleaning out shelves, moving, etc. - and that is when it is joyful and a tad exciting. You get to almost learn about that person’s life in a small way. Books that were important to them at one stage in their life, reference books to mysteries to fiction.
One night I went home to look at my shelves to see what my books said about me. That was interesting! Mostly first edition or out-of-print craft books, local authors such as John Elder, Bill McKibben and Ron Powers. And gardening books, also first or out-of-print. I’m more of a non-fiction person for some reason. Rusty’s shelves - well, let’s save that for another day! His are more interesting plus he has more shelves than I do.
