The Indie Bob Spot: Maine

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Letterpress Books - Portland, ME

Letterpress Books, Portland, ME

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Readers, have you ever had one of those experiences in life where when you finish you just kind of exhale and go "aahhh?" This is EXACTLY what happened to me when I left Letterpress Books in Portland, ME. My only problem is, I'm not sure if it was because of the bookstore or the absolutely delightful people I met there. Let's say that it was a little bit of both and was the perfect example of the kind of experience you won't get on the internet. And as owner Katherine O. told me, the fine folks in Portland are starting to understand the importance of shop local, buy local. Keep it up, Portland!

This is a true family-operated independent bookstore. Owned and managed by Katherine and staffed by her mother Karen and father John Paul. Katherine brings 30 years of bookstore experience to this endeavor and it shows. The store has been in business for almost 6 years and is sustaining but optimistic for future growth. They have a great location in a strip area surrounded by many businesses including UPS right next door (wouldn't every bookstore love this?!), pet store, fitness center, and a Starbuck's to name a few. They also enjoy being located in an affluent area with many nearby schools and retirement communities. One of my favorite things here was the easy and AMPLE parking availability. The store offers new and used books and John Paul is in charge of curating the used books. You'll find them shelved thourgout right along with the new ones. They offer customers store credit for the books they bring in but some simply donate their books for resale. I thought the books by Maine authors and the section of local and regional interests were especially good. Letterpress has a few sidelines here including greeting cards, journals, and calendars to name a few. They also offer some terrific art work by local artists displayed throughout the store. If you want some Maine-themed art you'll find it here.

I cannot imagine anyone coming here and NOT enjoying these lovely people. The EPITOME of knowledgeable, graciousness, and kindness found in all the good booksellers I meet. But I know the regular customers at Letterpress already know this.

Still, there are Portlanders who haven't been here yet. Man, get with it! Hey regulars, the next time you visit Letterpress bring a friend who hasn't been here. They'll be destined to return after the experience they enjoy at this terrific bookstore. Go to an indie and buy a book. Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED: Libra, Don DeLillo. Didn't. I was intrigued by the premise of a fictional rewrite about Lee Harvey Oswald and the JFK assassination but boy, for me I found the writing to be "clunky" and not smooth. Just could not get into it.

CURRENLY READING: Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman.

RECENTLY PURCHASED: Louisiana's Way Home, Kate DiCamillo.

An attractive store front.

Lots of window display space.

Step right in to a wonderful bookstore.

Might as well start your browsing on the outside.

I love it when bookstores are able to accommodate friendly dogs.

View looking into the store from the front entrance.

Looking to the left after entering. You won't be able to miss the table display of new releases.

A few of the greeting cards available in the front of the store.

Many stores offer this promotion and I love it. Plain brown wrapper, but how do you know what you're getting? Here's how it works...

Here at Letterpress they give you some clues about your "blind date." You'll see all sorts of variations on this promotion.

Maine is not the Lighthouse state, but it could be!

A nice reading special.

ALWAYS ask your bookstore about gift certificates.

A wall display of new releases.

See what the staff recommends.

An award-winning bookstore.

A neat wall display of bestsellers.

Just a few of the items of local and regional interest.

Woof.

Lots of artwork throughout the store by local artists and available for purchase.

It's still not too late for a beach read.

Grab a cooking book and sit down and plan out a menu.

Partial view of the children's section.

Kids will love these finger puppets.

A very unique table for little readers.

Overview of the store looking from the back toward the front entrance.

One of those special sidelines you only see in independent bookstores.

From L-R: Karen, Katherine, and John Paul, the fine folks you'll meet at Letterpress Books. Thanks for a great visit.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Longfellow Books - Portland, ME

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Here's the skinny about Longfellow Books in Portland, ME. Thriving and successful going on 14 years. A featured indie in, My Bookstore, by Ron Rice. An email newsletter delivered to over 15,000 people. A locally owned, award-winning business. A knowledgeable and friendly staff and an extremely passionate owner. Basically, this indie kicks butt and takes names!

Some places I visit on my journey just have a vibe and this is one of them. This place has an energy and vibrancy that is undeniable. The whole time during my visit there were customers coming and going. The store has new and used books and many sidelines, but not overwhelmingly so. Newspapers, magazines, assorted greeting cards and novelties can all be found here. The sidelines are important to the profit margin but make no mistake the books are the main story (pun intended!) here. The customer base is strongly local and the store is totally engaged. Author events are frequent and held on site in this one-level store, but occasionally will be held at another venue depending on the crowd. There is a cat here in this independent and if you visit and think it is absolutely the most adorable creature on earth, you can adopt it and take it home. Lots of indies have cats, how many let you adopt one? What a great public service.

When I visit these indies I don't always get to meet the owners but I lucked out today. If you look up in the dictionary,"passionate bookstore owner," you'll see a picture of Chris, the owner here at Longfellow. In between transactions and other customers, I got to talk to Chris quite a bit about the store and independent bookstores in general. Chris shared with me that he is starting to feel the pendulum swing back toward independents. As I travel the country, I'm getting this sense from others as well. He was great with his time and very amiable to talk with me as were several of his staff members, including Ian and Charlie. And if that weren't enough, while I was there author Bill Roorbach came in and I got to meet and talk to him. Five minutes before he arrived I had just bought his new book, The Remedy For Love, highly recommended to me by Chris and others while here on my visit. This was one magical day.

For most midwesterners, Portland, Maine is a remote outpost with little to offer. Readers, this trip has certainly changed my thinking and I encourage you to add it to your places to visit. This indie is located in downtown Portland and there are a lot of things to see and do here. Heck, even if you don't buy a book go across the street and visit the beautiful public library. But you will visit Longfellow Books on your trip here and you'll find out what everybody around here already knows. This place is a giant among the indies. Go to an indie and buy a book. Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED: Hyperbole and a Half, Allie Brosh. Hilarious and I loved it. Especially some of the dog stories.

CURRENTLY READING: So Big, Edna Ferber. Almost finished.

RECENTLY PURCHASED: The Remedy For Love, Bill Roorbach.