Stanza Books, an indie bookstore located at 508 Main St. in the historic East End of Beacon, N.Y., will have its soft opening in early November before hosting an official launch party on November 11, during the city's Second Saturday Art Walk.
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| Qwners Mark Harris and Andrea Talarico. | |
Co-owners and writers Andrea Jade Talarico and Mark Harris will sell new books in a variety of categories, including genre fiction and nonfiction for children through adults. They also plan to host in-store book clubs and salon-style events, as well as larger community events through partnerships with historic Beacon venues in the future.
The reconfigured space on Main Street will reflect the owners extensive experience in retail management and intentional design, with specially designated areas tailored to the consumer footpath.
"The store's name, Stanza, carries several meanings," said Talarico, who will serve as managing partner. "We know it as a verse in a poem, but it comes from the Italian word for 'a stopping place or room.' Our store will offer a similar journey, where 'rooms' will be gestured at in the design: a study full of stationery, greeting cards and gifts; a salon bursting with literature and fiction; and a library stacked high with books on history, philosophy and other works which explore the human condition."
Talarico's background includes more than 20 years of bookstore and stationery experience, having worked at the flagship New York City stores for both McNally Jackson and WORD as well as owning her own new and used bookstore in Scranton, Pa. She most recently served as senior customer experience and partnerships lead for luxury stationery atelier Baronfig, whose goods will be prominently displayed at Stanza.
Harris has a career in experience strategy and storytelling, thanks in part to his portfolio working with world-class museums and Fortune 500 companies, including HBO, Netflix, Amazon, New York Life, and Cinemax. His consulting company supports organizations through immersive and interactive design. Harris has also written several full-cast audiodrama series, including Séance and Goddess, and a forthcoming novel, Hekate's Return.
"Throughout the space at Stanza, there will be moments of story and interaction: bits of history, listening stations, and more," Harris said. "Our vision is that the bookstore will function not simply as a space for commercial interaction, but an oasis in which you can learn something new--for free--in unique and fun ways. "
Along with the bookstore, Talarico and Harris have also launched an indie press called Sacred Consort Media, which seeks to publish books that keep alive the spirit of magic and the divine in the world: magical realism, literary fantasy, essay, poetry, and more. Their first publication will be Harris's novel Hekate's Return.