12 days to go
today is just another day working towards the goal of closing. it's always good to spring clean and i've just brought in the trash cans from outside and started filling them. with all the junk that i keep for no apparent reason, we'll probably need to go and get the truck and just fill up the bed and take it to the dump. i was thinking of offering things for free, like fake flowers, just for people to take, but really, how many people want fake flowers and how many people want USED fake flowers? it's easier to just throw them out.
maggie and colin, two of the kids chris has read stories to for a few months now, are in right now to "say goodbye to the bookstore". colin got mad when his mom told him it was time to go and ran back to what is now a vacant kids room. it was kinda sad. he's still back there. they baked chris some going away cookies and they're sitting right in front of me right now and i really want to just rip into the bag and eat all of them but i should let chris have one first and it really looks like she's too preoccupied working for that.
yesterday was a super super sad day. i had to meet with an attorney in the morning to go over all of the things that you have to do when closing a store permanently, and although stephen is one of my closest friends, it was depressing. he was actually my very first customer in portsmouth to spend more than fifty dollars in one sitting. i remember he had on a white button down shirt, blue trousers and i think red suspenders. i know he had on suspenders. he looked like a perfect stereotype of an attorney. he bought some history books. he browsed. i knew he would be our friend. he later ran for city council and we did everything we could to help him get elected, and he won, and he doesn't hold that against us (which he should because it's about all he has time to do). we share the same birthday and yesterday i told him that i was gonna be broke so the cost of the booze this year is on him and steph. he didn't seem to mind.
after i got back from the meeting, we found out from odu that ellen burstyn doesn't want to come to the store next sunday. she is going to be signing at prince books instead. we'll be there selling the books though. it is very nice of sarah to let us come into her store and sell the books there.
YAY! chris just offered a cookie. gotta go. cleaning and eating to do.
susie
posted by Broad Street Books @ 9:52 AM
1 Comments:
I just wanted to let you know what an inspiration you have been to those of us in the community who are really looking for community. I was born and raised in Norfolk but moved to Washington, DC to save the world after college -- about a year after you opened your doors.
I've lived there now for over three years, but when I visit home, I have this feeling -- some might call it a heartbeat of meaning -- when I drive by your sign. Small, independently owned stores are the heart of a community, and I wish the Norfolk community could have expressed this better to you -- in terms of our commitment to buy, and our commitment to care.
Though I live a bit away these days, I wanted to let you know that you did have an impact on me -- and that your endeavor is not without worth. I hope to see something of similar meaning in your future -- I do not doubt that you will continue to inspire us. Norfolk perhaps was not ready for you. But with your absence deeply felt, perhaps you will ready them.
I have forwarded your blog posts to all of my friends and family at home and asked them to buy, buy, buy. I hope this helps ease the transition in some small way.
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