a rare bookstore like ours has a very peculiar, almost funereal, atmosphere because on the one hand we are a retail environment but on the other hand the place is stacked full of our desks and research materials behind which each person is engrossed in something arcane

we sometimes get asked 'is this a library' which in some ways is flattering but also no we are not a library we have just perfected the Stare that you give someone when you have counted 497 pages out of 972 and they make you lose count

bookselling is a strange profession; few people I know do it because they are social creatures as much as for sharing a love of books

in time you build rapport with customers you see often, a relationship which is all the more rewarding for the time it took to establish

I mean I would never admit it to them but there are regulars who I genuinely look forward to seeing, and some people who feel comfortable enough to just come by for a chat (though naturally they are lured into a new book if we can manage it)

That being said, lately I'm trying to figure out how to make more kinds of people feel welcome, which means if you come in and look lost I will probably check in on you

never be afraid to ask for what you need- all my colleagues like doing is talking books, you may make a friend