Oct 29

Our world looks a little different now

By Ann Kingman bookstores., work. Add comments

One of the best parts of our jobs is hanging out with booksellers. We spend most of our days in bookstores, which is heaven, but it’s really the people that make the stores. I like to say that we talk about books all day to people who love to talk about books. So it’s no wonder that our bookstores and the people that work there become our friends as well as our customers. This week brings mixed news about some of our friends.

You may remember our post this summer about the tragic fire that swept through Bunch of Grapes Bookstore in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. I was touched by so many of you that posted in the comments and on your own blogs about the bookstores that you hold dear. Well, this week heralded some wonderful news for our friends on Martha’s Vineyard: Bunch of Grapes has a new owner and the store will reopen in the same location sometime this spring. To top it off, they are going to have a temporary location open in time for holiday shopping. They have even started a blog, to document the rebuilding process, and it’s a fun and informative read. Thank you to Susan at Edgartown Books for telling me about the Bunch of Grapes blog — I know that everyone is excited to once again have two great bookstores on the island.

On a sad note, this week also marks the announcement of the closing of the Jeffrey Amherst Bookshop in Amherst, Massachusetts. The store, which opened in 1937, had a wonderful mix of general books, academic titles, and anything and everything related to Emily Dickinson. I will miss my visits to the store and talking books with Marie, the buyer, and the rest of the staff.

The next time you’re in your local bookstore, just stop for a moment and take a look around. Imagine how it would be to sit down and talk books with the staff for an hour or two — to share details about the books you love, and to hear from them what has them excited. If you do this, you’ll get a tiny glimpse into what our lives are like almost every day. Pretty cool, huh?

  • Katherine

    Hi Ann… Thanks so much for mentioning the BoG… I only recently saw your summer post (it was during the dark days) and it was very touching…

    We’re super excited to get things going again…

    I should give extra thanks because the blog was due in large part to the class you and Michael gave at NEIBA. I had done a personal blog before, but you guys made me think that it could be something worthwhile for the store and maybe something people would be interested in…

    And hey, we never stop talking about books, and really crack ourselves up…

  • Katherine

    Hi Ann… Thanks so much for mentioning the BoG… I only recently saw your summer post (it was during the dark days) and it was very touching…

    We’re super excited to get things going again…

    I should give extra thanks because the blog was due in large part to the class you and Michael gave at NEIBA. I had done a personal blog before, but you guys made me think that it could be something worthwhile for the store and maybe something people would be interested in…

    And hey, we never stop talking about books, and really crack ourselves up…

  • http://mariegauthier.wordpress.com Marie Gauthier

    Thanks, Ann.

    Y’know, we started our retirement sale on Monday, and the store has been mobbed. We’ve done such gangbusters business in the last 2 days it seems like we should have announced a retirement sale a long time ago.

    Glad I have this wonderful blog to visit — you & Michael have done amazing things with it, and I’ll miss you both!

  • http://mariegauthier.wordpress.com Marie Gauthier

    Thanks, Ann.

    Y’know, we started our retirement sale on Monday, and the store has been mobbed. We’ve done such gangbusters business in the last 2 days it seems like we should have announced a retirement sale a long time ago.

    Glad I have this wonderful blog to visit — you & Michael have done amazing things with it, and I’ll miss you both!

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Michael

    Katherine- I have to say I LOVE the BoG blog so far. You crack me up too. I loved the blurbing post.

    Marie- Isn’t it sad when the whole community comes out for closing sales and you think, “If only you had shopped here BEFORE!” Don’t worry, you won’t miss us because we’ll keep in touch via the blogs and I’m sure you’ll end up somewhere in books. It’s a hard industry to leave!

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Michael

    Katherine- I have to say I LOVE the BoG blog so far. You crack me up too. I loved the blurbing post.

    Marie- Isn’t it sad when the whole community comes out for closing sales and you think, “If only you had shopped here BEFORE!” Don’t worry, you won’t miss us because we’ll keep in touch via the blogs and I’m sure you’ll end up somewhere in books. It’s a hard industry to leave!

  • http://www.annhandley.com Ann Handley

    Well said, Ann. I love local bookstores — have a far more intimate feel than a Borders or B&N (although I’ll happily browse there, too).

    (And kudos to BoG on their new blog!)

  • http://www.annhandley.com Ann Handley

    Well said, Ann. I love local bookstores — have a far more intimate feel than a Borders or B&N (although I’ll happily browse there, too).

    (And kudos to BoG on their new blog!)

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