A Good-Feel Story

As promised, here is a video story of our team effort to update the library at Sitton Elementary School, right here in Portland. It's a first effort (the video, not the book donation), so please pardon the gaffes (such as too-small type). I promise we'll get better at this!

Thank you's From Sitton

Valentine's Day is just around the corner (Sunday, in fact). We invite you to come see all of the delightful (and in fact delicious, in some cases) options at Broadway Books to bestow upon your sweetie(s)! While you're here, be sure to check out the two fabulous Valentine thank-you posters in our windows created by the appreciative students at Sitton Elementary School.

In December, Broadway Books and our wonderfully generous customers (yes, that's you!) teamed up to give students at Sitton a wonderful collection of new books for their school library, as well as a shopping spree for Sitton's librarian, Diane Newton-Prior, to fill in the gaps. We were delighted to receive from the happy kids these two gorgeous heart-felt AND heart-filled posters, and we quickly put them up on our windows for all to view.

Until you can make it down to the store in person, here's a couple of snapshots to give you a taste. And watch the blog for a soon-to-launch video......

Thank you to all who helped make this gift to Sitton such a generous one! Instilling a love of reading in kids and giving them great books to read feels great, doesn't it?

Sales Galore and More!!!

Lights on Broadway starts....NOW!!! Sales, fun activities, and fundraisers throughout the NE Broadway neighborhood through Sunday. Check it out here. At Broadway Books we're offering 25% off ALL hardbound fiction in the store!! What a deal! You don't have to wait for your favorite novelists' books to come out in paperback. Yeehaw!! Does it get any better than that? Well, yes it does, because I'm coming to the store at 11:30 this morning with hot-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. Get while the gettings good!

While you're in the store, help us build a better library for Sitton Elementary School -- ask us and we'll tell you all about it. And don't forget to take full advantage of your dedicated "Personal Shoppers" at Broadway Books. See you soon!

Safe and Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope wherever and whenever you read this you are warm and dry and cozy and surrounded by folks you love. Today is a day of giving thanks, and I am thankful for so very much. I'm thankful for my wonderful friends and family -- I feel especially blessed in that department -- but I'm also extraordinarily thankful for and appreciative of the Broadway Books community: my terrific colleagues, the authors and publishers reps we work with, and our fellow merchants in the NE Broadway community, but most importantly you, our wonderful and supportive and endlessly interesting customers.

Have you had a chance to see the great window display that Kate did for us this month? Kate has made some eye-popping windows since she started at the store this fall, but I have to say this is one of my favorites, because it's all about celebrating local, and celebrating YOU! "You make the difference," it says, and it's true. Without you and your support we wouldn't be in our eighteenth year in the community. When you shop at Broadway Books, you tell us that you value our presence in your community and that you want us to stay. And we appreciate that so much. If you haven't seen it yet, you might think about stretching your legs between courses today to wander down and take a peek (even though the store is closed today), because this weekend the window will magically change (the magic we call "Kate") to our new holiday window, with oodles of great gift ideas for you.

As you begin your holiday shopping (ok, some of you have already begun and others, like me, haven't even begun to think about it) we hope that you'll think local as much as you can. Personally, I can think of few things more hideous than standing outside of a mall store in the dark cold rain tomorrow morning at 4 am waiting for the doors to open and the masses to pour in, pushing and shoving to get at the bargains. But everyone has their own way of doing things. We hope to make your holiday shopping experience hassle-free and satisfying -- and dare I say even enjoyable! We'll help you select gifts for even the hardest-to-shop-for person on your list; we'll special order available items not in the store; we'll gift wrap all of your purchases; heck, we'll even stand in line to ship them for you if you want! And starting Friday we shift into our longer holiday hours so you have more options for stopping by: Monday through Saturday we'll be open from 10 am to 9 pm (although frankly you'll often find us there at 9 am), and Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm.

Our December newsletter offers many great gift-giving ideas, but there wasn't enough room to accommodate them all! Come in and see for yourself. Our shelves are sagging with goodies. And come back again next weekend (December 4-6) for the annual Lights on Broadway celebration, where you'll find carolers and holiday cheer and sales galore up and down NE Broadway and the neighborhood. Watch the blog for more on that event next week!

But, getting back to my original thought, thank you -- for all that you do to make us Book Broads feel appreciated and needed. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Thanks to all Holiday Book Talkers!

Holy cats! How much fun was that???? Last night was our third Book Talk, and I think it was the best one yet! The hardest part by far was narrowing down the selection of books we talked about; there are just so many amazing new books out this fall, which made it quite the challenge.

Heart-felt thanks to all who attended -- you made it so much fun. This time around we took a gift-giving focus when talking about new books. Who knew Roberta and I could talk about so many great books in such a short amount of time? Well, I'm guessing some of you suspected as much....There were several happy prize winners, and some people got a terrific head start on their holiday shopping. And everyone enjoyed Roberta's incredibly yummy gingerbread. Big thanks to Great Wine Buys, an independent neighborhood wine shop, for the loan of glasses and for directing us to some tasty wine. Our next Book Talk is planned for the spring, but we're considering offering another holiday focused one before the year is out. Anyone interested in that? Let us know what you think; we'd be happy to gear up for an encore! Thank you to Deb Hartman for the accompanying photograph of the happy book talkers in action. Seriously. I have no idea what I'm doing in this photo, but I'm clearly emphatic about something!

Book Talk for the Holidays!

Tick tock! Time is running out to sign up for tomorrow night's Book Talk. We invite book-clubbers and book lovers alike to join us for our third Book Talk. A few months ago we hosted a gathering for readers who were looking for good book club choices or just good reads in general. It was so successful and so much fun that we had another one. And now we're hosting a third -- this time to share our thoughts on some of the best new books of the season, with a peek at what’s to come and with an eye to gift-giving as well as choosing books for your personal library or your reading group. This event is open to the first 35 people who register by paying the fee of $5, which will be refunded toward any purchase that night. We’ll have refreshments, prizes, and a bunch of fun. What a delightful way to get lots of great holiday gift ideas. Register now to assure a spot! Our last event was packed.

Talking 'bout Books at BB

We had so much fun at our sold-out Book Talk events last spring that we're going to have another one! Thursday, November 12, at 7 pm is the date for our next Book Talk, this time with an eye to holiday gift-giving. You can learn about the best new books of the season, with a peek at what's to come, mingle with other book lovers and share good reads, have a little nosh, win prizes, and perhaps get some of your holiday shopping out of the way!

Space is limited, so sign up now. Reserve a spot for the next Book Talk by paying $5 in advance, which will be refunded toward any purchases you make that night. Call us at 503-284-1726 to reserve your spot, or just stop by to sign up. We're open from 10 to 7 Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 on Sunday. After Thanksgiving we'll change to our extended holiday hours until Christmas.

Hope to see you there!

Where Have You Been???

Did you miss us? Sorry I've been gone for so long. After our last post ("An Embarrassment of Riches") you might have guessed that I've had my nose buried in all the great new books that have just been published, and that would be a pretty darned good guess. But, unfortunately, incorrect. The ugly truth is that Saturday was my birthday, and I took a few days to celebrate with friends and family. And a good time was had by all. Not to go into the gory details, but let's just say it included air hockey, putt-putt golf, and photo booths. And a modicum of alcohol. AWI to my friends.

But the upshot is I'm now back in action, and what do I find but even MORE great books making their way to the store, including the first new novel in years from Pat Conroy (The Prince of Tides, The Water is Wide, etc.): South of Broad. Not only do we have his new book, but we also have autographed copies! (And they're actually signed by Pat Conroy, not by me or Roberta.) Plus we have that wonderful new book by Seattle-based writer and naturalist Lyanda Lynn Haupt (author of Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds), Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness, that was just reviewed in The Oregonian. And we got in paperback copies of Toni Morrison's latest and much-lauded novel (A Mercy), one of my favorite short-story collections of the past year (The Boat, by Nam Le), and the second novel from Seattle author Stephanie Kallos (Broken for You), Sing Them Home. Last but not least, we have finally been able to get back in stock the book everyone's talking about, The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, by Jeff Sharlet. And yes, it's in paperback, and yes, it will scare the pants off of you!

So, NOW I have my nose buried in a bunch of new books, and I'm happy to be back in the blogosphere.

Changes to the Bookbroads Blog

Close observers of this blog (are you out there??) will note two additions this week to the fuctionality of our blog . We've added a search component so if, for instance, you remember that I wrote something about Jim Lynch but can't find it, now you can easily search for it. We also added the option of subscribing to the blog through your email address. Once a day you'll get an email with all of the postings we made to the blog that day -- that way you don't have to remember to go to the blog to find out what's shaking at Broadway Books! Of course, you can still just go to the blog when you feel like it and read whatever you've missed, if that's your preference. It's all about YOU!

Need Air Conditioning???

WE GOT IT!! Broadway Books is a delightful respite at all times, but especially during these grueling heatwave days. Come take advantage of our wonderful air conditioning. It's already 80 in the downstairs of my house, and we haven't come close to the hottest part of the day yet! Egad! I might have to take my two cats down to the store tonight so we can all get some sleep! So, let me say it just one more time: hot books and cool store, awaiting you at Broadway Books. Come see us.

Later today I'll have some reading tips for keeping cool.......

Top Ten Reasons to Hit NE Broadway Sale

Top Ten Reasons to come to the NE Broadway Sidewalk Sale (and in particular Broadway Books), in no particular order:

1. We have air conditioning!


2. We have a special selection of books for $4 each or 3 for $10.


3. All hardcover fiction, including general fiction, mystery, sci-fi, and younger readers, is 25% off this weekend only.


4. All used books are 25% off this weekend only.


5. We've got a great selection of sale books.


6. We have air conditioning.


7. There will be bands and roving ice cream trucks and sales of all types throughout the NE Broadway neighborhood -- eat, drink, shop, and be merry!


8. There are all sorts of wonderful newly published books for you to choose from.


9. We have a selection of games, music, and audiobooks as well.


10. The staff is cute, knowledgeable, and lots of fun. Ok, I might be slightly biased on this one. Did I mention we have air conditioning?

Hardcover Fiction 25% Off -- and More!

This weekend, July 17-19th, is the annual Northeast Broadway Sidewalk Sale! We will have a wonderful selection of titles available on our sidewalk for $4 each, or 3 for $10. A portion of our sale proceeds will go to our ongoing causes, Literary Arts and the NxNE Community Health Center. This year we are also offering ALL hardcover fiction -- including mystery, sci-fi, and young adult/middle readers, along with general fiction -- at 25% off. There's no limit to the number you can buy! This sale only applies on the three days of the sidewalk sale, and it doesn't include special orders. Come early for the best selection. While you're here, check out the great sales at other participating merchants on Broadway, enter to win prizes (including a free night's stay at McMenamin's Grand Lodge), listen to bands, check out the Greyhounds available for adoption at Furever Pets, and enjoy ice cream from the Umpqua Bank roving ice cream truck. A fun weekend for all. We look forward to seeing you!

International "Buy Indie" Day

Happy May Day! Besides being May Day, today is also International "Buy Indie" Day, the day everyone is encouraged to go to one of their local independent bookstores and buy at least one book -- paperback, hardback, audiobook, whatever works for you! "Buy Indie" Day was started by Joseph Finder, an author and writer who is tired of seeing his local independent bookstores go out of business.

We'd love to see you at Broadway Books to celebrate "Buy Indie" Day. Roberta is there this morning, and I'll be there this afternoon until 7 pm. Come on down and see us! We both love to talk books, so if you want a recommendation on something to read for yourself, or for a gift, just ask. There are so many incredibly wonderful new books arriving at the store each day this time of year it's hard even for us to keep up -- but we try!. And just like I think we should all try to make Earth Day every day, I'm not opposed to "Buy Indie" Day happening more than once a year. ☺

The Web Site is Alive, I mean Live!

Yes, after months of promises promises, I'm happy to announce that the first-ever Broadway Books official Web site is up and running! It's a work-in-progress, of course, so please forgive any slips. We'd love to get your feedback on the site -- what would you like to find there, how does it look, and so on -- so please drop us an email (or use the contact page on the site). You can reach us at bookbroads@qwestoffice.net. The address for our site is www.broadwaybooks.net. Thanks for your patience!

Winter Hours

Our experience is that Broadway Books can be a pretty lonely place between 7 pm and 9 pm during these dark winter nights. Based on that experience, we will be changing to winter hours starting tomorrow, Monday, January 5th. We will be open from 10 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday. Our Sunday hours remain the same: noon to 5 pm. On nights when we have readings at the store, we will stay open until 9 pm. See you soon!

A Great Day for Book Shopping!

Sorry no posts yesterday. After listening to the newscasters predict essentially the end of the earth all morning ("Whatever you do, don't go outside! If you do, your head will explode and your legs will fall off!" -- or words to that effect), I went to the store a little early for my shift, expecting to find a barren store akin to a leisurely February afternoon, then slide my way home on a sheet of ice. Which would leave me plenty of time for blogging. To my happy surprise, however, I encountered a bustling store full of happy customers working through their holiday shopping lists, and we were rocking and rolling from 9 am to 9 pm! So come on down -- I'm bringing fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies in this morning. Official opening hour is 10, but we're usually there by 9 this time of year. Just give a call if you want to confirm that someone will be there, early or late: 503-284-1726. We're also happy to check on availability of books -- and can have them gift-wrapped and waiting for you. If you're looking for any of the books in the Twilight series, at this point we have them all! Hope to see you soon. Be safe!

Extended Holiday Hours

Starting today, Broadway Books will be open extended hours on Sundays through December 21st. For your shopping convenience, our holiday hours on Sunday are 10 am to 7 pm. The rest of the week we are open from 10 am to 9 pm. Want to know if we have a book in stock? Just give us a call at 503-284-1726. We'd be happy to hold it for you -- and even have it gift wrapped and ready for you to pick up. If we don't have it, we can likely get it for you in just a day or two. Thanks for thinking local first! We appreciate your support.