You do not own the phrase, "around the corner!"
A couple months ago I read this article in the San Francisco Chronicle about how one of my favorite bookstores was closing. I loved Cody's because they had high lofted ceilings and because their logo was a simple san-serif font and because my childhood dog's name was Cody and because they were family owned and because everyone who worked there loved working there and because they were on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley.
When I was there today, I felt like I was in The Shop Around the Corner. I wanted to tell the guy behind the counter to "fight! fight fight fight!" but with the store closing in 48 hours I knew it was too late.
I love that when I was studying in Berkeley several summers ago I could wander over to Cody's at 9:58 and slip in before it closed. For some reason, Cody's always made me want to read. I was working so hard to read the required reading and yet I would hurry that up as fast as I could so I could go to Cody's a buy something for fun. And I'd walk in and say anything--I need a mystery! or I need a memoir! or I need another writing book--and whichever Cal student working that night would help me find something.
And now it's going to be gone. Because of the internet.
And I don't even know what to do with that because I love the internet. I love buying things online and finding any book I could ever need. And I love that I can find books for 40 percent of retail.
But I love Cody's. I love the university students it employed and the friends (some there almost as long as the store itself) who worked there simply because they loved it so much. And the family that ran it. In a heartbreaking quote, owner Andy Ross said, "We have lost over $1 million attempting to keep the store open. As a family business, we cannot continue to afford these ruinous losses."
So today I bought five books at full price (well, there was a clearance discount but still nothing compared to half.com) as a tribute to a bookstore that made me want to read and as a payback for all those books I bought online.
Sorry, Cody's.
Comments
It's probably worse that I found books I liked, didn't think 20 percent off was enough and added them to the "to search online" category in my head. I really do appreciate mom n' pop places and was saddened to see a 50 year old business close. ... At least I didn't really have a personal relationship with Cody's. Or reading for that matter...
Posted by: Emily | July 9, 2006 12:26 AM
bring me presents.
Posted by: kathy | July 9, 2006 10:07 AM
Did you get The Shoe books?
Posted by: Heather Anne | July 9, 2006 10:37 AM
This is good... and this is sad.
I went to Cody's when I was a student at Cal from '72 - 77. Grandace was at Cody's when she was in grad school at Cal from '68 - 78. And then, your grandfather and Grandace use to go there years and years ago during the 60's. We have a long family history with that place. I am glad you did too.
Did you go to my old house?
Posted by: Sally McGrath | July 9, 2006 3:08 PM
This is truly sad. This is how the world works now - the Big Fish eat the Small Fish and the Old is at times forced to bend in front of the New.
I would have joined you and yelled "Fight! Fight!"
On another note,it is beautiful to have treasured memories that run through the family.
Posted by: Aakanksha | July 10, 2006 1:15 AM