The Fountain Bookstore Family

I talk a lot about "The Fountain Bookstore Family" in the shop. In the last few weeks I've had a chance to really think about what that means to me.

Yesterday, I attended the funeral of one of our customer family members. I didn't know Mark very well...mainly through her orders which were delivered to her out in the country by the former owner of Fountain, Boo Smythe.

She was one of my favorite kinds of readers: she'd find out about an author and then immediately have to have all of the author's collected works. Loved series writers, excellent taste in mysteries. Her orders and the obvious thirst behind them always made me smile. I'll miss her.

It was unseasonably cold at the Fork Church cemetery, but the warmth of the small congregation (its own family) welcomed me as we said goodbye to someone much loved and respected. Fork Church celebrates its 275th anniversary this year. That's something special.

Boo and Jim Smythe belong to this church. While I've thanked them privately for the space they gave me in the Fountain Family back in 2000 when they first brought me in, I'd like to make a special thanks to them now publicly for showing me what it can mean to own a community bookstore, to make it a place that is welcoming, nurturing and playful. A place that provides solace, a needed respite, a good belly laugh. A place you belong.

Joyce Clay was the first owner of Fountain in 1978. I owe her a debt of thanks as well for recognizing Richmond's need for a good independent bookstore. The Smythe's took over in 1985. They passed the baton in 2008 to me.

I hope they made a good choice. On my best days, I feel up to the task.

I delivered a few books to Kuba Kuba the other day: my "first baby" present to Manny Mendez for his boy Noah. Manny's the owner of Kuba Kuba...and if you haven't eaten there, well, you're missing something. (Yes, I'm a year late, I know). Among the selections was Me Hungry! I picked it because I think the caveman daddy looks like Manny...just a little.

Another group in the Fountain Bookstore Family is the Anderson-Ellis clan. Three generations of wonderful readers. I had the pleasure of knowing little Sophie's parents before they even met and now she's reading. It's a beautiful thing.

The Family extends outside just the customers and my wonderful staff (who deserve their own blog post...stay tuned) to the authors. Far too many to mention, but I will mention Gigi Amateau (and her great mom, husband and daughter). Again, our author friends deserve an entire post...probably several

And we get new family members all the time! We recently welcomed Rebecca Schinsky to the family. She's an exceptionally sharp book blogger. Find her at The Book Lady's Blog . One of those people who instantly "got it".

My point in bringing up individuals (Mark, the Anderson-Ellis's, Manny, Rebecca and Gigi) is not to single them out to the exclusion of the rest of the Fountain Family, but to illustrate that you are individuals to us. To me.

Every time you walk through the door: you're a part of it.

Every time you share with me a book you love: you feed it.

Every time you tell someone else about us: you build it.

I was tempted to end this post with "Amazon: Bite me." But they're a fact of life and I don't begrudge any business's right to exist. Besides, Boo would be very, very disappointed in me. (I am trying to clean up my trash mouth and my attitude Boo, I promise.)

Instead, I'll imagine Mark up in the sky with all the books and all the health and time she needs to read them. I'll think about Noah and Sophie and storytime. Who knows? Maybe they'll meet in 25 years and have little readers of their own! And if I'm very, very lucky, maybe I'll get to buy them their "first baby" book then.

You change the world every time you step through our doors. My gratitude is beyond measure.

Thank you for being part of the Fountain Bookstore Family.

The Ultimate Road Trip: Brought to You by Garden & Gun Magazine

I have this dream of the ultimate road trip.

I'd start with a full tank of gas, my (mostly) trusty map application on my phone, and a couple of grand in cash to spend on books....and I'd head South. This dream has been pretty vague until recently when I checked my mail slot and in it was the February/March issue of Garden and Gun.

I have a black thumb, no interest in firearms or hunting dogs. So, why do I have a subscription to G&G? Simply put: G&G is one of the best sources of information on the culture of the New South. It's smart. It doesn't pander. It is full of articles on everything Southern in food, music, literature and lifestyle.

In this month's issue is a great essay about parenting compared to gun dog training ("Fetch Daddy a Drink") by P.J. O'Rourke, a feature on oyster eating around the South, a piece on Jill McCorkle. But most importantly: the guidebook for my road trip.

"Best Sellers: A Literary Tour of the South's Top Independent Bookshops" by Beth Ann Fennelly highlights fourteen stores, many of whom are the inspiration of what I hope I can achieve with The Fountain one day. (Yep, I'm a dreamer.) Let's start with the ones I've already visited.

Malaprops in Asheville, NC

Emoke B'racz was one of my early role models as a bookseller. A clearly defined personality for your bookstore is a difficult thing to develop. Malaprops' selection of books, attitude of its staff, layout, everything speaks to the mission of being Asheville's community bookstore. Linda Barrett Knopp has a great deal to do with its success as well.

Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL

Mitchell Kaplan and his crew shine almost as much as the floors in this bright, inviting store. When I visited, my ego demanded that I find at least one indication of imperfection so that I didn't have to come back to Richmond and close immediately due to shame. I did eventually find one light bulb out, but it took an hour and it probably went out seconds before I noticed it. Still, it was enough that I could come home, keep the doors open and start dreaming about my very own wine bar in my store.

Now to the stops I need to make.

Square Books in Oxford, MS

Manager Lyn Roberts and I have been known to bend an elbow from time to time. And the stories touring authors tell me about the hospitality of owner Richard Howorth demand I make time to go to Oxford. Purely on the basis of meeting these two booksellers I know that a trip to Square Books would make me feel like I'd found a second home.

Page & Palette in Fairhope, AL

Raw energy and passion is what I'll find at Page & Palatte! Karin Wilson owns this family operation. I imagine a bookstore filled with electric excitement about books and reading. Must make time to attend an event....they sound like block parties.

That Bookstore in Blytheville in Blytheville, AR

Mary Gay Shipley has been a bookseller to watch before anyone was watching booksellers. I have to see a store owned by a woman that is described in G&G as the world's best handseller...enough so that she was featured in a profile in the New Yorker.

Book People in Austin, TX

I just want to sit in the barber's chair and read away the afternoon. Fountain is about 1/30th of the size of Book People. I'm not sure how owner Steve Bercu does it. Here's to hoping he can spare me a few minutes to recommend some great music venues while I'm there.

Alabama Booksmith in Homewood, AL

I've been threatening to couch surf at Jake Reiss's house for years. Alabama Booksmith has one of the most robust events calendars in the nation. I think it mainly has to do with so many authors just wanting to visit Jake.

What's keeping me from hitting the road and visiting these fine shops and Lemuria, Regulator Bookshop, A Capella Books and so many other worthy candidates not mentioned in the article? Well, two things:

1. Age has visited upon me an unfortunate condition: narcolepsy brought upon by long-distance driving. No joke. So, for everyone's safety, I'll need a driver.

2. Finding someone to take care of Fountain while I'm gone. Applicants for the position should demonstrate a unwavering devotion to the caregiving of a community bookstore equivalent to my colleagues listed above. I don't expect I'll find this person as they are rare indeed. But one can dream.

Thank you to Garden and Gun for sharing with the world a few of our Southern jewels.

Kelly Justice, President
Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance