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danr
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The Bookstore Item
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Jul 1 19:00 UTC 1994 |
This is the item to talk about your favorite bookstore, news about
bookstores, and whatever else about bookstores.
And, because I just went around and invited a number of Ann Arbor book-
sellers to join Grex, this is the place to tell us all about your
bookstore.
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| 67 responses total. |
brenda
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response 1 of 67:
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Jul 1 20:14 UTC 1994 |
There is a bookstore in Athens, Ohio called "the Story Shoppe". They
carry used and rare books. The owners regularly travel to bookshows, etc,
and find many new books. They have lots of books that you can't find anywhere
else, and the husband is well versed in almost every topic. If he doesn't
carry a particular book, he may be able to find it for you, or point you
toward someone who can.
btw- If anyone does stop in there, please tell them I said "hi" :)
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md
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response 2 of 67:
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Jul 1 20:32 UTC 1994 |
I understand Barnes and Noble bought the bowling alley on
Northwestern Highway just south of Orchard Lake Road, and
will be opening a Borderesque megastore in it soon. It will
put the other little bookstores in West Bloomfield and
Farmington right out of business. I hope Book People on
Orchard Lake just north of Maple will survive somehow.
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omni
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response 3 of 67:
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Jul 1 21:19 UTC 1994 |
I like Dawn Treader on Liberty. Good selection, nothing overpriced, and
they STILL DON'T HAVE FREAKY DEAKY, dammit. (oops.)
A book has to really excite me before I'll spend 20 plus bucks for it.
Last one I bought was _The world is my home_ by James A. Michener. I'm
on page 6.
I bought a McMurtry and a Henry Miller today at DT.
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kentn
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response 4 of 67:
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Jul 1 22:49 UTC 1994 |
The Dawn Treader on S. University is also pretty neat (the two stores
overlap, but also have specialties). Dawn Treader is a used bookstore,
BTW.
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mwarner
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response 5 of 67:
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Jul 2 01:07 UTC 1994 |
I have an interest in antiquarian books. There is a pamphlet out listing
something like 18 Ann Arbor antiquarian book dealers. Most have somewhat
unusual hours, selections that are the antithesis of best seller
collections (you can find some odd, odd reads), and very distinctive
locations. You wouldn't know some of these people were in business unless
you specifically went looking for them, but a couple I have visited have
inventories to rival any mainstream bookstore, or almost.
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mwarner
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response 6 of 67:
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Jul 2 01:12 UTC 1994 |
What's going on with the new Borders? I've been away, and so don't know
if or when the opening happen s/ed. I peeked in the window a few weeks
ago and have to admit I was underwhelmed. It looked like a department
store with a fresh coat of paint. But who knows? It may be O.K.
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wjj
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response 7 of 67:
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Jul 2 02:47 UTC 1994 |
If you ever make it to Denver, check out the Tattered Cover Bookstore...
it is (or was at one point) the largest privately owned (i.e. not part of a
chain) bookstore in the country...it's in a four-story converted warehouse
and there are plenty of comfy chairs to plop down in and read a book.
They have something like 150,000 titles in stock.
On another note: is it true that Ann Arbor has the most bookstores per capita
of any city in the U.S.?
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kentn
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response 8 of 67:
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Jul 2 05:30 UTC 1994 |
Heh. Wouldn't surprise me. Every time I walk down some downtown street
I haven't been down before, I find a used or new book shop. As someone
mentioned, they're in some incredibly old/unique sites.
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chelsea
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response 9 of 67:
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Jul 2 10:59 UTC 1994 |
The old Borders will be closing for one week, July 11th through 15th,
while the inventory is moved and organized. The new Borders is
scheduled to open July 16th but they aren't publishing anything
firm yet in the event they don't quite make it in time.
But with Art Fair on the 20th there isn't a lot of room to be late.
The official opening celebration will be July 30th. Jane Hamilton
will be there (author of _A Map of the World_ and _The Book of Ruth_.
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mwarner
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response 10 of 67:
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Jul 2 18:03 UTC 1994 |
I'll definitely check it out, but only after "The Day Of The Living Art
Fair" & crowds go away.
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kentn
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response 11 of 67:
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Jul 2 20:04 UTC 1994 |
Art Scare...brrrrr...time to take a vacation
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mwarner
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response 12 of 67:
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Jul 2 20:14 UTC 1994 |
I undersand that because of the funneling effect of narrow streets and
tall buildings, the human tide can rise as much as 40 feet above street
level when the Art Fair coincides with a full moon and a strong northern
wind blowing into downtown!!!
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davel
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response 13 of 67:
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Jul 2 20:51 UTC 1994 |
You forgot the fact that the temp goes up around 10-20 degrees, and warm
art-fair-goers rise.
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danr
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response 14 of 67:
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Jul 6 11:36 UTC 1994 |
To get back to books, I really like the Afterwords store on Main St.
It sells only remaindered books, so everything in the store is discoun-
ted. I've gotten a lot of great bargains there.
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omni
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response 15 of 67:
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Jul 6 20:17 UTC 1994 |
hear, hear!
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remmers
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response 16 of 67:
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Jul 7 01:02 UTC 1994 |
I agree, it's a nice store. No frills, but good prices.
I like the Little Professor Bookstore in Westgate Plaza at Stadium
and Jackson Road. Pleasant atmosphere, pretty good selection, nice
for browsing.
When I'm in a highbrow mood I'll sometimes drop by Shaman Drum on
State Street.
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remmers
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response 17 of 67:
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Jul 16 19:40 UTC 1994 |
Speaking of Shamun Drum, I was in the State Street area the other
day and decided to drop in. Much to my surprise, they've expanded.
They now have a street floor operation with a nice storefront and
attractively laid out interior. Same highbrow bias. Their second
story space is now devoted to textbook operations, apparently.
The new Borders on Liberty opened today. They've taken over the
two-story building formerly occupied by Jacobson's, which move to
Briarwood Mall. Very big, not a lot of personality. Not sure this
is an improvement, though it may be too early to tell. The place
was jam-packed with people, hardly optimum conditions for savoring
atmosphere. I was impressed by their large record section, which
may well give other music stores in the immediate vicinity -- SKR,
Schoolkids, Discount Records -- a run for their money. They also
have pretty well-stocked video and CD-ROM sections.
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kentn
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response 18 of 67:
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Jul 16 20:30 UTC 1994 |
Are they totally done with construction at Borders, or are they still
"touching up"? Seems to me they are about a month behind in their move
by the signs they had posted in the old store...
Did they put in a coffee shop, too? That struck as interesting...
buy a book, and sit down to a cup of coffee and read it.
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chelsea
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response 19 of 67:
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Jul 16 23:03 UTC 1994 |
The new Borders looks completely done and well stocked. Scads of
help everywhere. The coffee shop is quite nice, with an upstairs
view of the Liberty/State junction. But it looks like every other
bookstore which has opened within the past five years; I miss the
wide dual staircases. The junk books (Steele and Co.) are given top
exposure (something the old Borders avoided), and the sound system
sounded industrial/mallish. The 20% off coupon eased my pain.
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melinda
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response 20 of 67:
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Sep 3 00:40 UTC 1994 |
That's too bad about the Steele & Co choice of marketing. The iced
cap is great -- they put crushed ice in it for a neat texture. It
seems to me that their mag offerings are slimmer than in the old one.
Can anyone confirm?
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remmers
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response 21 of 67:
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Oct 30 17:38 UTC 1994 |
When in Santa Fe, New Mexico, be sure to check out The Collected Works
Bookshop, located at 208-B West San Francisco Street. It's one of the
best-stocked small-to-medium size bookstores I've encountered. Whoever
does the selecting has fine taste. Excellent literature and poetry
sections.
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denise
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response 22 of 67:
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May 12 12:42 UTC 1996 |
One thing I really miss since moving from Ann Arbor is all of the
bookstores. I'm currently living in the Raleigh/Durham area in NC,
so there ARE some bookstores, but not to the extent of AA. I really
miss Borders but I did hear rumors last fall that there MIGHT be one
opening here in the Triangle area. I hope negotiations have worked out!
Up to about a year or so ago, my favorite bookstore in this area is/was
Bookstar. I still like the place, there's a decent selection of books
and helpful staff. But within the past couple years, there's been
several Barnes and Noble bookstores that have opened up in the area-
one in Raleigh, one in Cary, and one right in between Durham and Chapel
Hill. Granted, sometimes these bigger stores don't have the real
personal touches/feelings that I recall Borders having... But they
do have some of the same selection [and more than Bookstar has] along
with some very comfortable seating. Sometimes [often, I should say],
I end up sitting there for hours, reading! By taking the time to browse,
I'm still buying books but am enjoying my purchases even more than
I used to.
Sometimes I'm there so long that I forget the time--its nice that they
have the coffee/tea/sandwich shop for those times when one's stomach
can't wait til ya get home to eat or drink!
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adania
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response 23 of 67:
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May 12 16:14 UTC 1996 |
I have found the new Borders here to be quite dissapointing. I loved
the State St. location- it was so cozy and friendly. Now it feels so
cosmopolitan that I don't belong there anymore. the staff are not as
knolwedgable as they used to be either.
I also really miss the COmmunity Newscenter on liberty...I used to go
there during lunch all the time...
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rcurl
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response 24 of 67:
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May 12 17:32 UTC 1996 |
You have a point, about the size of Borders. I find it like ... a
department store, not like a bookstore. It is intimidating to browse in
a store that size.
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