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| Gary Lovely | |
Gary Lovely, veteran bookseller and board member of the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association, is becoming co-owner and managing partner of Two Dollar Radio Headquarters (HQ), the bookstore/bar/café in Columbus, Ohio, effective September 1.
Lovely is currently store manager of Prologue Bookshop, Columbus. He earlier worked at Write Bloody Publishing, CoffeeTree Books, the Acorn Bookshop, and the Book Loft of German Village. He is the founder and publisher of Harpoon Books, an independent publishing company, and has judged the Cercador Prize for Literature in Translation and the James Thurber Prize for American Humor. He is a judge for this year's National Book Award for Translated Literature.
Eric Obenauf, co-founder and editorial director of Two Dollar Radio, said, "Gary's become a great friend, sage advisor, and trustworthy book recommender since I first met him seven years ago. When we opened HQ, we set out to stock books you may not find at an average shop, prizing an experience of discovery above a broad selection. Over the years, it's become apparent that Gary shares our spirit of community-building through literature, and is keenly aware of the most exciting and eclectic books hitting the streets today. We couldn't be more thrilled or fortunate to have him on board, to bring his insight to further the diverse selection of well-rounded literature that we carry, and to continue to seek out partnerships that align with our values and mission."
Lovely said, "Two Dollar Radio has been an important touchstone in my life since I moved to Columbus, both as an unrivaled literary asylum for authors all across the country as well as a gathering place for the Columbus book scene. From the hyper-curated selection of books, to the Cheers-like atmosphere of the bar and cafe, Eric, Eliza, and Brett have built a shining example of what it means to be a community bookstore and I'm over the moon to help expand on the good work they're already doing. It means an incredible amount to me to be trusted with such a legendary institution, and I'm honored to contribute what I can to expand on their mission."
HQ stocks about 1,000 titles with a focus on independently published literature. Lovely plans to expand the stock to 3,000 titles, increase sidelines, and collaborate more with other independent presses to highlight literature in translation. He also wants to expand the already busy events schedule with off-site events, partnerships with other Columbus organizations, as well as an increase in store hours.