Congratulations to Annie Bloom’s Books, Portland, Ore., which will celebrate its 40th anniversary on Sunday, October 28, with an afternoon party. The bookshop will serve cake, sparkling beverages, and coffee; raffle off prizes; and have a weekend sale on select titles. At 2 p.m., a toast will be made to Bobby “Annie” Tichenor, owner and co-founder of the store, who said, “Even though I am semi-retired, I am blessed to come in, wander around, run errands and contribute my bit most afternoons.”
Tichenor founded the store with her original business partner, Susan Bloom, in 1978. Her second partner was Gloria Borg Olds. The initially store opened across the street from its current location, where it’s been since 1983.
The store has thrived, Tichenor said, in large part because of a customer base that appreciates the value of supporting an independent neighborhood business. “We have always envisioned Annie Bloom’s as a place of both retreat and gathering; available for support or solitude. People have fallen in love and found open hearts and minds when in need. There is very little turnover in staff and many have been around for many years. A more diverse and wonderful group could not be found. It is truly a family.”
One member of that family is store manager Will Peters, who joined the staff in 1992. “I brought in my resume, and Bobby talked to me for a few minutes and suggested I ‘come in the next day to look at the inventory system,’ ” he said. “I never really was sure I had been hired, so I’ve just kept coming in every day. That was 26 and a half years ago.”
–from Shelf Awareness Monday, October 1, 2018
