It occurred to me recently that the survival of independent bookstores in the US has a lot in common with the Stars Wars saga. Think of it like this: a ragtag band of quirky, talented and determined individuals is battling a massive, powerful opponent that wants to dominate and control the universe of book commerce. The …
Two women recently came into Annie Bloom’s and approached me with a request that you don’t hear very often these days. “Do you have a phonebook?” one of them asked. In fact, we DO have phonebooks available behind the counter, both white and yellow pages, although until that moment I’d never had a reason to …
Annie Bloom’s bookseller, author, nwbooklovers columnist, and humorist Jeffrey Shaffer was featured on Oregon Arts Beat. Follow the link to watch for snippets of his live comedy, a mini-tour of his bookstore, a side-by-side comparison of store cat Annie and her bookmark depiction, and more.
Every day there are customers making their first visit to Annie Bloom’s Books and I’m always interested in finding out why they haven’t been in previously. “I’m from out of state” is a common reason along with “I don’t get over to this side of town very often.” And sometimes a person will pause and …
There’s no official list of standards and practices for customer behavior at Annie Bloom’s. We do have a small note posted on the front door that says “Please leave all large bags and packs at counter” but it’s more of a guideline than a rule. I can pretty much guarantee that none of my co-workers …
What’s a good chapter book for a young reader in elementary school? The suggestion I’m giving to parents these days is Homer Price by Robert McCloskey. The Puffin Modern Classics edition contains six stories about life in and around Centerburg, a little town that shouldn’t be forgotten. To be honest, I had almost forgotten about …
People sometimes ask, “What’s it like working at Annie Bloom’s?” and my answer is, “Mostly it’s a gift.” As an example, customers often make comments that are so interesting I write them down on little scraps of paper. It’s like getting a free one-liner to use in a future conversation, which is exactly what I …
I started reading about modern warfare in elementary school and have kept at it steadily for more than five decades. One result, which I began to notice back in the 1970s, is that military thinking has become the default setting in my brain. Battlefield diaries and the memoirs of former combatants are filled with lessons …
There are times when a customer is so thrilled to find a particular book that a tsumani of joy resonates throughout the store. I’m not talking about a big grin and happy eyes. I mean the emotional equivalent of fireworks and bombs bursting in the air. I like sharing those moments of spontaneous, visceral satisfaction. …
One thing I’ve learned about making unsolicited contact with customers is that my outgoing personality (or “Loose Cannon Syndrome” as some friends call it) can be perceived as intimidating. A young couple and their toddler came in not long ago and headed back into our children’s section. The little boy was in one of those …
