Read All About It!

So it is Wednesday again, people (amazing how it happens every week), and therefore we are totally shirking our blogging responsibilities and sending you to a much more interesting site.

This week, go as fast as you can click to Habitual Reader, the online fiction book club featuring reader profiles, book reviews, and favorite community bookstores. Are you curious to know what books other readers would take to a deserted island? What books other readers would never pick up again? What makes you a Habitual Reader? This is a community designed for book people of the world to talk about fiction, and it is rocking.

Hello Everyone! Thought I would tell you a little bit about an adventure Stacy and I had last week.

While attending a meeting on State Street we noticed that Carson Pirie Scott had all their signs up, announcing the store’s closing and liquidation. “60% – 70% off” in bold red and yellow beckoned us in. We must admit it was the large handbag section that was the initial draw but upon entering we saw another sign.

“Antique, Unique Fixtures for Sale in Basement”

There were no spoken words as we dashed down the escalator. The whole lower level was transformed into this quirky bazaar of sorts. Mannequins, tables, old tv’s, picture frames, holiday decor, butlers, pigs, a wooden rendition of the city skyscape in lights, and much much more. Needless to say, we were enthralled.

We ended up purchasing some really cool items for the store,and I passed my business card along in the hopes that they’ll call us if there are things they will eventually throw away. Some of the things we purchased:

• A huge red heart on a stand – to cleverly mark our romance section!
• 3 decorative antique looking suitcases – perfect for displaying our travel books
• Other miscellaneous display items
• A orange lucite nearly see through androgynous bust figure
• Large poster boards with rows of books printed on them
• An antique birdcage
• 2 boxes of birds! As shown below, these are high quality birds! At $10 a box, they were a must have.

It is so fun to search things out, to find just the right random thing that will make our bookstore one of a kind and special.

We’re always looking for things too! If you have a unique item or random piece collecting dust in your basement or attic and would like to see it live and be appreciated at Open Books, let us know! Send us a photo! We’re on the hunt!

I spent the weekend in Virginia with my guy, and because he is tolerant and I am driven, we spent quite a few hours of it in bookstores. Here in Chicago I slink around a bit when Becca and I do the secret shopper routine. But in Williamsburg I had no fear of being recognized, and so our expedition was blatant and luxurious.

There is some debate as to when and where our ‘first date’ took place, or if it has indeed occurred yet. However, we agree that the first time we spent time in the same place was Williamsburg last September, and among the places we went that weekend was the charmingly crammed Mermaid Bookstore in Merchants Square. It was just as crowded and endearing on this return visit: quotes about novels and writing pinned to the shelves, displays of sugar spoons perched atop cases of old reprints, the famous Revolutionary War In Corner sign, the tiny chair with a few children’s books spread on the seat. I bought a copy of Famous Trials (“What’s that about?” “Famous trials.” “Ah.”); he snagged a 1Ed of Gore Vidal’s An Evening With Richard Nixon (“What’s that about?” “Guess.” “Right.”) And eventually, having wandered every inch of the place a few times, we got back in the Jeep and headed across town to Bertram & Williams. Unlike Mermaid, the layout at B&W is spacious. The books are neatly arranged on categorized shelves, with special editions in their own section. Prints, maps, engravings, and so on are in flip bins throughout the store. We stared at the three original albumen print photo albums of Mexico, admired the salt print of a Crimean War encampment, and went home with the Ralph Steadman-illustrated edition of Animal Farm. It was a lovely afternoon full of bookstores. And if either of these proprietors find themselves in Chicago after next spring, I hope they will come and check us out in return.

So as Becca said, we are thrilled beyond description at the number of book donors, volunteers, partners, and others that have gotten in touch with us thanks to the Daily Candy and Time Out Chicago pieces. This city is full of incredible people and we are honored that so many of them reached out.

In particular, though, there is one hotmail signup on the mailing list that looks very familiar to me — a voice from the past, as it were, where “the past” is circa 1992 or so.

MJL, if that’s really you, get in touch. It would be very cool to hear from you.

Wow!

Sometimes that is all you can say.

As many of you may know, Daily Candy ran a feature on our organization today and the response has just been, WOW.

Stacy and I want to both say thank you, to everyone that has emailed us and called us, with your donations, offers to volunteer, help out and even just your kind words of enthusiasm.

The energy that many of you have exhibited in your calls and emails to us is SO motivating and just launches us ahead to make Open Books something you’ll all be proud of.

We will be getting back to ALL of you very soon, so in advance, thanks, and we look forward to meeting and working with you!