Trying Times

"...these are the times that try men's souls". Thomas Paine wrote those words to describe the American Revolution (and the events leading up to them). I have taken to quoting this passage to myself of late, as the construction crews demolish the road outside my door.

The work is on the "downtown revitalization" as the city calls it. Recently, however, there has been more *de*struction thatn *con*struction--three weeks ago they ripped up the sidewalks. As a token gesture, I have been given an asphalt walkway leading from my parking lot to my door. However, my driveway is often blocked by dump trucks, construction ribbon, and other nuisances, which makes the walkway superfluous. Nor has the Livermore Downtown Association been much help--their most recent effort included a promotional pint glass giveaway trumpeted as "Customer Appreciation Day". fight your way through the mess and receive a pint glass for spending $25.00 or more at a participating business! What's that? I can't hear you over all the applause! Or maybe that's the sound of an earth-mover.

Of course, August is always a slow month. You, my customers, are usually on vacation at this time. In July I see you picking up stacks of "airplane" books--something to read while on your way to Jellystone Park, or wherever. Due to the slow pace, this is usually when I take my vacation too, or, set about planning the work for the coming months.

Speaking of work, the remodeling work is 99% finished! For those of you who bravely endured the swapping out of our bookcases, that work is done and the new bookcases look great. They're solid steel with adjustable shelves and wide metal feet--much more sturdy than our old wooden ones. Best of all, there's space between the shelves, which allows light through, so there's not the dark shadows that many of you remarked on! Come see our new look! In fact, come see them at the upcoming sales!

Also, as part of the new shelving arrangements, we've been able to swap out the old cabinet-style bookscases in the Mystery & Cookbook sections, replacing them with larger, more sturdy ones. If you haven't seen them, come in and have a look!

Another change is the rearrangement of the front counter, with a new sitting area up front. Friend of Book Oasis, Sally Bystroff, has lent us a colorful throw rug to complete the effect. We also have a new easy chair by the cookbook section, purchased for the store by Shawn Allyn! In a few weeks we will be getting a small love seat, or perhaps a fainting couch for the Mystery section. Your comfort is important to us here at Book Oasis. If you have any suggestions, email us, or drop in and use the Suggestion Box by the register, now, or during our upcoming sales!

That's right, we're going to have a Fall Sale on Friday, September 30. All books will be slashed by 40%--including the stuff in the Rare Cabinets! Hardcover books will be slashed by 50%. And no, this will not interfere with our annual Christmas sale, which will be a two-day affair: December 16 & 17. Both days, all stock will be slashed by 50%, and that means everything!

Now, I should tell those of you who are wondering that, yes, we have received some real beauties in the last few weeks, despite the hardships forced upon us by the construction crews:

We recently aquired the collection of Addams Family Antiques, which includes a large number of old children's books. Vintage Johnny Gruelle (creator of Raggedy Ann) books, collections of Mother Goose from the late 19th & early 20th Centuries, and several old children's classics such as Ruth Fielding, the Dreadnought Boys, and unusual odds and ends such as The Poppy Seed Cakes, by Margery Clark, and The Little Gray Doors, by Alexandrina Clark. There are still 20 boxes of books to go through, and there have been so many new books that a new New Arrivals rack has had to be added to accomodate the books.

For sports-minded people quite a few books on Firearms and Firearms maintenance have come in, including several 20+ year old books published by Gun Digest. For those of the nonviolent at heart, there are many new titles on hiking, backpacking, and fishing.

So, if you've not been in for a while, make a point to do so. The Book Oasis has changed a bit, but it's a change for the better--and we've got the books to prove it!




Larry Burdick on 08.15.05 @ 05:16 PM PST [link]