The Indie Bob Spot: Wyoming

Showing posts with label Wyoming. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Wind City Books - Casper, WY

Wind City Books, Casper, WY

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As an Indie Bob Spot public service announcement, let me issue this statement to all bookstore visits in my future. When I visit stores, I'm happily snapping pictures throughout the aisles and bookshelves the minute I walk in. And I assure you and hereby promise that I will NOT take a picture and sprint out of the store to order a book online. End of statement. Poor Heather, one of the fine booksellers at Wind City Books, was very worried that I was one of THOSE people. Once we met and I explained my mission, she breathed a sigh of relief and we both talked some trash about THOSE people who visit bookstores only to find something and then order online.

Wind City Books is on the brink of celebrating its 10 year anniversary and Heather and Amy, the two booksellers I met, told me things are going fairly well. Ten years in business for an independent bookstore is a great accomplishment deserving of a celebration. The one-level store has a great downtown location that's very user-friendly for foot traffic. This works well for a strong core of regular customers as well as tourists. People on the way to or returning from the Sturgis Festival are some of those tourists who visit here. Wind City offers all new books and a few sidelines, but these are minimal. Amy told me that the YA and children's sections are two of the genres that are selling well. I think the store also has a strong inventory of western themes, Wyoming interests, and regional authors (with national appeal) like Craig Johnson and C. J. Box, a Casper native.

I especially like the caricature portraits of authors along the right wall. These are sketched by a talented local artist and I don't think I've seen anything like these in any other indie. When you visit the store, don't miss out taking some time to look at these.

I didn't get to meet Vicki B., the co-owner, during my visit, but I had a great time meeting Heather and Amy and talking to them. Amy told me something that I haven't heard yet at other indies but I'm hoping it's true everywhere. She told me that Wind City has a strong group of customers in the 16-35 age range who value buying books. They enjoy it so much that they even take "shelfies," pictures at their bookshelves. What fantastic news for Wind City and hopefully for other bookstores.

Since Wind City has its 10 year anniversary approaching, I think you should help them celebrate and support their presence. Don't buy them a present, go in and buy yourself a book. You'll have a great time. Go to an indie and buy a book. Bonsoir.

CURRENTLY READING: Peace Like A River, Leif Enger.

RECENLTY PURCHASED: The Secret Diary Of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old, Hendrik Groen.

A great front window display with lots of reflection on a beautiful day.

Sounds good to me.

This poster is applicable to every single bookstore I visit. Support your local bookstore and local businesses.

View looking into the store from the front entrance.

C. J. Box is from here and is prominently featured.

A nice display of staff picks.

A variety of magazines available near the front entrance.

A relevant magazine for some folks in Wyoming or even for some of my close friends.

Display of books by local authors.

Two great chairs to sit down and try out a book.

Don't mind if I do!

Lots of great author caricatures on the right wall. Check out this great work by a talented artist.

Here's the Stephen King caricature.

A long wall of bookshelves.

A few of the greeting cards available.

A portion of the children's section.

Indie Bound recommendations.

Unique socks available here.

The store offers a small variety of sidelines.

This is the back of the cafe area.

View looking from the back of the bookstore toward the front entrance.

The Lord Of The Rings, bound editions. If you're a fan, get to this store.

Some good offerings from Europa Publications.

With Amy on the left and Heather on the right, two of the fine booksellers you'll meet at Wind City Books. Thanks for a great visit.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

The Second Story Bookstore - Laramie, WY

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Usually, if I visit two bookstores in one day it may involve complicated travel and/or other various logistical challenges. Not so in Laramie, WY. You can visit two wonderful independent bookstores each with their own niche located side by side, yet totally unrelated. They enjoy a great camaraderie and refer customers to the other bookstore as needed. For book lovers and bookstore shoppers, the set-up here is ideal.

I'm always fascinated by the history of bookstore spaces and what they were before bookstores. Second Story Books is aptly named for its location on the 2nd floor of a historic building in downtown Laramie. KK, the co-owner along with her sister, told me that at one time this 2nd floor space was a dance hall. The dance hall was surrounded by numerous small rooms which explains the store's history as a hotel and a brothel. Those side rooms are now all part of the bookstore and they house different genres and items like westerns, cards and gifts, or bargain books. Second Story offers all new books and numerous sidelines. As with many other indies, the sidelines are an important part of the revenue. Greeting cards, journals, t-shirts, and lots of stuff for kids highlight the sidelines you'll find here.

One of my favorite things about Second Story are the numerous displays and the arrangement of the store. There are lots of table displays throughout, all creatively done. Every display made it very easy to browse the books. It was also nice that there were lots of comfortable chairs to sit down in and spend time with a book. Another nice perk here is that they offer a free book with the purchase of a book. A great incentive to buy a book!

I had a wonderful time talking to KK and we shared lots of book ideas. She told me that they don't have many author events but they do have book clubs that meet in the store, always a great way to bring people in. And like their next door neighbor, Night Heron Books & Coffeehouse, free parking right on the street.

This indie has been around since the 1980s so I'm going to declare it a Laramie institution! If you're in Laramie and haven't visited this "institution," it's time. Go to an indie and buy a book. Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED: A Spot Of Bother, Mark Haddon. A middle-aged couple where the husband is a hypochondriac (he thinks his hip lesion is cancer but it's only eczema), the wife is a philanderer, the adult daughter is a bit of a bitch and can't decide whether or not to get married, and the adult son is gay. British humor. I liked it.

CURRENTLY READING: Memoirs Of An Imaginary Friend, Matthew Dicks.

RECENTLY PURCHASED: The Shipping News, Annie Proulx. With my purchase I got to pick out a free book and I picked, Oxygen, Carol Cassella.

A good sign, in more ways than one!

Two great indies side by side, Second Story on the left and Night Heron Books & Coffeehouse on the right.

The window display is on sidewalk level but you need to go upstairs to get to the bookstore.

Follow the sign. Upstairs.

View looking into the bookstore. Take out all the books and tables and this was a dance hall. Look carefully and you'll see doors to the rooms around the dancehall.

I love this perk.

Lots of great book displays in this store. Obviously, this picture doesn't do it justice. Apologies for the blur.

Some of the sidelines for kids.

View looking into the children's section. To the immediate left of me is the entrance into the 2nd floor of the next door bookstore, Night Heron Books & Coffeehouse.

Look for this display for bargains.

I really like this staff picks display. You have to walk all the way around the table to see all the picks.

A very nice antique cabinet, or luncheonette, to display some sidelines.

Another great book display.

A very comfortable chair to try out a book.

Some of the t-shirts available.

Looking across the bookstore.

These rooms encircle the 2nd floor bookstore. Check them out, they're all different.

See what the book clubs are reading.

Lots of great sidelines here.

A view from the far back corner of the store looking toward the front.

With KK, the fine co-owner at Second Story Bookstore. Thanks for a great visit.

Friday, June 24, 2016

Night Heron Books & Coffeehouse - Laramie, WY

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Night Heron Books & Coffeehouse is located in one of those quirky college towns, in the historic downtown district of Laramie, WY. A place that has lots of independent and local businesses that give it that unique flair. Think Boulder, CO, Durango, CO, or even Iowa City, IA. Until this visit I'd never been to Laramie and now I'm ready to come back again.

This 2-level indie in an old, historic building is home to a healthy inventory of good, used books. The store is over-running with so much fiction that they can't keep up with it (do them a favor and go buy a couple!). Even though all the fiction is not in the data base, they have a good idea of everything available. Night Heron has a particularly strong offering of books relating to the Wyoming and Colorado region. Many of these used books they have are donated which is always helpful for the store's business margin. If you are looking for vintage or collectable editions, you'll want to check these sections. The store has been around for 13 years and even though things haven't always been easy, they continue to move forward. One of the best things for the business was when they added the coffeehouse right in the store. They're able to offer a variety of drinks and food, a very good part of the business here. The sidelines include greeting cards all done by local artists.

I didn't get to meet Ken K., the co-owner, on this visit but I had a great time talking to Justin and Greg. Even though this is a used bookstore, they still hold author events with the options of having them on the main level or upstairs. I absolutely love that there are lots of places to sit in this store on both levels and outside, with many tables as well.

A store doesn't make it 13 years without a devoted group of regulars and that's true for Night Heron. They also enjoy good business from tourists, especially during the summer. If you're one of those tourists driving here, you'll be able to park right on the street for free.

Night Heron on the right and Second Story on the left. A book lover's dream!

But the best thing here is the location right next door to another independent bookstore! You can visit two bookstores on the same trip (believe me, this is an advantage for me and a really big deal). Night Heron is right next door to the unrelated bookstore and business, The Second Story. They're even connected together on the 2nd floor of both businesses.

Good grief, readers, what are you waiting for? Saddle up for a trip to Laramie and enjoy two wonderful independent bookstores. Go to an indie and buy a book. Bonsoir.

CURRENTLY READING: A Spot Of Bother, Mark Haddon.

Find a book, get a drink and a pastry, then pick a seat inside or outside.

A great place to sit outside.

Looking into the bookstore from the front entrance. Some of you may recognize the celebrity who inadvertently turned toward the camera, a rare move. Yes, that's my mom.