Reminder: Bookstores still exist!

When do we read good news about bookstores? Never, that’s when! But reader, get ready for a surprise, because Never is today! Ok, well, it’s not exactly good news, but an intrepid young reporter at University of Maryland’s student paper, The Munch, has given us a nice portrait of Bridge Street Books in Washington, DC. For those who don’t know, Bridge Street has been, for many years, a sanctuary for the kind of poetry that Barnes and Noble won’t stock. It also featured excellent readings on the regular. The bookstore, according to the article, has in this way found a small niche in the small press poetry world, which has so far allowed it to ride out the troubled economy. As the owner, Philip Levy, said:

We don't make a fortune here, but we get by. I just wanted to create a good bookstore…and I did it.

We this humble comment, about the goodness of a good bookstore, inspires a true sense of optimism. Thanks, The Munch!