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Thursday, February 17, 2011

There's This Dream We Have ...

Source: MorBCN
Nekos and I have been getting all starry-eyed talking about this little dream of ours. (Especially if we've had a couple of beers, it sounds like the world's best idea.) It can't happen though -- what with Davis-Kidd closing and Borders going bankrupt and bookstores everywhere going belly up -- but nevertheless we like to talk about our little fantasy of opening an independent bookstore in East Nashville. (There's not one here; isn't that crazy?!)

My dream goes something like this:

We rent a space in East Nashville's booming, historic 5 Points district. Preferably a little old house that would be perfect for a little shop.
Source: Husband
And we will fill it with used books and plenty of new books too, so that everyone who comes in can find exactly what they are looking for.
Source: Apartment Therapy
We also put in a rack of vintage clothes for sale ...
Source: baileymunson flickr
and some handmade items too.
Source: warm sugar on etsy
We have a children's section with toys where Tessa will read and play independently most of the day. Other children will come in to play with her and their parents will buy their children lots of books from our shop. Tessa will become the world's youngest reading child.
Source: Word Brooklyn
Tessa will be so into her books that I will be able to get some freelance writing done, tend to the store, and cheerfully greet our many paying customers. I will also have time to read most all of the books in our shop.
Source: Punkinmom flickr
We'll give this bookshop a cute name. Maybe Black & White & Read All Over. Or something like that.

Tessa will grow up in our adorable little book shop and will tell all of her friends and her future husband (or wife) that her childhood was idyllic and that her parents were just the absolute best.

The End. 

9 comments:

Justin Helton said...

You could sell concert posters and vinyl records too =) I know that might Nekos a happy man!

Josh Womack said...

Ellen,

I love it. However, be sure to talk to Catherine and I before doing this. There are a lot of challenges with running a Mom-and-Pop when you're married and have young children.Trust me, I know from direct experience.

Josh

a case of the mundays said...

love this. wade and i have a little dream too. he wants to own a nursery ... which i think would be the ideal backdrop for my crêperie. i might have to copy this post!

Wade said...

I had the exact same thought last week- that East Nashville doesn't have a bookstore. I will frequent Black and White and Read All Over. Just make it happen.

Molly said...

do it!

Rinny said...

Hey. I just found your blog on top baby blogs.

I love this idea! Your future shop looks amazing and I bet people would love coming in. I would love to do the same thing but with a cafe where people could sip coffee and read the books if they wanted to.

Hopefully bookshops don't become a thing of the past.

Ellen Mallernee Barnes said...

Thanks for the comments guys. It's too much of a risk to take, but I love dreaming about stuff. And --this sounds silly--but I like putting stuff out in the universe and seeing what happens.

Lil Muse Lily said...

great idea. you should totally make it happen.

Joy of Cooking said...

I Love this, Ellen. It is all so sweet, but the most dreamy part is the part about Tessa playing all day in the bookstore and becoming the world's youngest reader. I love that. We can always dream, right? Here is a quote I love: “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” (Goethe)

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