Via the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, we learned of more
sad news from the area, which was hit by a powerful storm last Thursday.
Just weeks after Parkplace Books, Kirkland, Wash., celebrated its 20th
anniversary, water from the storm overflowed storm drains and flooded
the store and a dozen other businesses. The water rushed through doors
and walls; more than four inches filled the store. Because of the high
winds and power outages--downtown Kirkland was without electricity for
several days--it was impossible to use pumps or dryers to save
merchandise.
Owners Mary Harris and Rebecca Willow are assessing damage. Carpets
have been pulled up but the walls must still be dried before fixtures
can be replaced. Despite "the damaged floors and watery smell," the
store opened for business today, hoping to salvage some holiday sales.
Harris said, "We even had some sales on Saturday, with customers sloshing around in the dark."
Sales reps wishing to donate books to help replace lost inventory can
bring or ship directly to the bookstore. Traffic to the area should be
back to normal today. The store may be reached at parkplacebooks@verizon.net or 425-828-6546.
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Another
bookstore in Washington fared better. Liberty Bay Books, Poulsbo,
Wash., lost power on Thursday at 5 p.m. and didn't have it back until
7:30 a.m. Saturday. On Friday, the store had scheduled a Christmas Tea
starring local author Debbie Macomber, author of Christmas Letters, Glad Tidings: Here Comes Trouble/There's Something About Christmas and the Cedar Cove series. Some 60 people were signed up
for the event, which was to be held at the local library.
Owner Suzanne Droppert suggested Macomber come despite the blackout, and she did even
though she, too, had lost power and had to put on makeup on by
candlelight. Droppert moved the event to the store and obtained candles, a
Bunsen burner and cookies. Fifteen "brave people," as Droppert
put it, showed up and "many made the comment that it was fun and very
intimate. Debbie put on a great event under not-so-great circumstances."
With booksellers writing all sales
information on paper, the store had sales of $775 on Friday. The effort was more than worth it, Droppert said.
"People seemed to appreciate that we were open."