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| Books on the Bosque in progress. | |
Books on the Bosque hosted its grand opening last Saturday at 6261 Riverside Plaza N in Albuquerque, N.Mex. Owner Deborah Condit told the Journal that running a bookstore had been her lifelong dream.
When she was a student at West Mesa High School, the Hastings bookstore on the West Side of the city was the place to be. "That was like, the coolest place, and only the cool kids worked there," she said. "I've always loved books and I love bookstores. When I go out of town, I find an independent bookstore to go to--or two, or three--to hang out at, you know, or to find or talk to other bookstore owners."
Although Condit has been working in government consulting since 2001 and never owned a bricks-and-mortar store before, she was looking for a new type of community engagement with Books on the Bosque: "I really wanted to do something that didn't need legislative approval... to be a part of the community and... affect community change."
Books on the Bosque will sell new and used books as well as pastries and drinks. There are games and a vinyl record player that guests can use. Condit noted that all of her employees are avid readers with their own specialties. "I have a lot of booksellers here that are really into sci-fi and horror--I'm scared of my own shadow," said Condit, who favors historical fiction.
One of her goals is to get the "next generation" of readers into the bookstore by offering an inviting space that isn't overwhelming for customers--especially new readers: "(I'm) really hoping to get young people to fall in love with books and to also have this place it's safe for them. This isn't your dad's bookstore."
She told KOB-TV: "I think there's something for everybody here. I am just really hoping that and I'm just really hoping that, if someone's not into reading, we can find the best book and maybe foster a love for reading. That's my goal."
The bookshop shared a video on Instagram yesterday, noting: "Thank you to all who came and visited us this last weekend! We made new friends and saw old ones. Your support and enthusiasm means the world and we can't wait to continue being a part of the community."