Sunday, April 24, 2011

Upcoming Event-Grand Opening.

Saturday April 30 and Sunday May 1, 2011, Grand Opening Weekend!

We will be open from 7:00am to 7:00pm, all day, both days. Come celebrate the Coffee-Espresso/Bookstore in Clinton, take a walk around and come back to celebrate the new Bookstore/Coffee-Espresso place in Clinton.

Explore the books, meet the staff and put down your anchor for a bit. A delightful place to sit and visit with old friends and meet new ones. Discuss books and art, music or even the weather, enjoy a great hot or refreshingly cool drink. Check out Whidbey in print and online at the Clinton Chamber of Commerce Kiosk, maps and information for your island exploration.

It's the people of Whidbey who make our offerings special to all of us. Beth and Gary Smith of Mukilteo Roasters Coffee, Dori Hallberg from Island Tea Company, Ron and Florence Hecker of Whidbey Island Ice Cream, George Brunjes' Chocolates by George, Mona Newbauer aka Sweet Mona and all her sweetness!. Perry Woodfin's watercolor prints, Rick Lawler's Whidbey photos and Nora Harrell's painted whimsy. Craig and Joy Johnson's birds in print and book form are here not far from Dan Pedersen's stories of Whidbey's places and people. These folks and more will be dropping in throughout the weekend. Come see and taste their work and meet the artists of brush, sugar, camera and words. 

We think you'll find the right spot for you at our new store, sit in the comfortable lounge warmed by the gas stove, engage in one on one conversation in the book chairs, find a lively group in the cafe seating or get your power point on with free wi-fi at the window counter. If you are a kid at heart or even better a real kid, check out the just right seating and lounging in the room that's made specially for you. Look for the sign-"Kids".

You can get here any way you like, we are a brisk walk up the hill from the ferry, an easy Island Transit ride from the whole island and right on your highway to Whidbey. We aren't particular about how you get to the door. We just know you'll be glad you did.

The coffee is on, the water is hot, the cookies, pie and ice cream are waiting. There are people to talk to and books to be read. Bring a friend, or meet one here.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Changes

Every day things are in different places and walls are different colors. Most of the books are at the store, and food service supplies ae piling up in the warehouse. There is a lot of energy emanating from the area. Where is Art Bell to explain this sort of thing when you need him?

The staff Pick of the Day, has been rescheduled to a date after store opening. The current pick of the day is the paint off my hands.

Look for the Open sign soon!

Monday, April 4, 2011

Indoor Bookshelves

Most bookshelves on Whidbey Island are indoors. Anchor Books' bookshelves were briefly out door shelves on Saturday when they saw the light of day and the rains of April for the trip to the store.

Just in time bookshelf moving, we bring parts from all over Western Washington and assemble. Saturday we stocked drywall for the new walls. Sunday was a day of rest, and after breakfast we got busy with a few modification of the shelves. My friend Richard came up from Seattle and we cut and drilled and glued to make smaller shelves bigger. Trish fixed our traditional lunch at Cozy's and back for more chip and dust making till dusk, now I remember why I feel so rested. Virginia and Norm worked on the signs on the building and Trish worked steadily on the inventory. Our goal for this week is to have most of the house reclaimed and the books on the renewed shelves. The "Now Hiring" sign is out for the week, call or stop by and pick up an application. I enjoy working there and hopefully it will be less dusty!

The staff "Pick of the Day" is author Tracy Kidder.  Known for his portraits of people in the world, school children and immigrants in America, poor people and doctors in Haiti. He first came to my attention for House, the story of a custom home built in New England.  My friend and fellow carpenter on our day of rest, Richard, speaks like someone from New England, and we have both worked on many custom home projects. As we worked and told stories of our slightly off center clients and projects,  Kidder's book came to mind. I recommend it to anyone who is planning to build, has built or lives in a house, forewarned is fore armed. We have several copies, step up, ask at the desk and our helpful and qualified staff can point you right to the correct sized shelf. While you are there find out where we are keeping Mountains Beyond Mountains, Kidder's account of the life and work of Dr. Paul Farmer and Partners in Health in Haiti and around the world. Tracy Kidder writes non fiction books about the world that inform, inspire and give perspective to our daily lives. Read his books.