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| sweet pea Flaherty and Atticus | |
Noting that cats and books have always been a good mix, SouthSound Talk reported that at King's Books in Tacoma, Wash., "the feline employees have been around even longer than the store's current owner, sweet pea Flaherty. The jet-black and regal Atticus has a legitimate fan following and a reputation that's as sterling and remarkable as the bookstore that he calls home. Described as the reigning monarch of King's, Atticus and company live year-round in the book shop."
A lover of cats, good books and kung fu, Flaherty is "Tacoma's most iconic fixture in the South Sound literary scene.... Today he is an extraordinary event coordinator and the sole proprietor of an indie bookstore that ranks frequently among the most beloved bookstores in all of Western Washington," SouthSound Talk wrote.
"I grew up in bookstores and libraries," Flaherty said, "and I always wanted to work in one. It wasn't until I moved out here and someone was like, 'You should go to one of the regional bookselling conventions,' that I really started to consider it. I went to that year's conference just to go to the conference, and I slowly realized, 'Oh, I'm actually a bookseller.' When the previous owners decided that they were done, it just sort of made sense to take over the bookstore."
He noted that the shop's events "have grown in partnership with local businesses, smaller and national publishers. It's all collaborative, and it's a lot of work but that's what gets people in and gets people excited, and even if they miss it they'll come in and say, 'I heard you had this event,' and, you know, word gets around."