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| At Silver Unicorn in Acton, Mass. | |
Last Saturday's winter storm warnings for the mighty Fern stretched from New Mexico to Maine, and indie booksellers were watching the radar, with many posting book-themed forecast maps, including Búho, Brownsville, Tex.; Dark Star Books and Comics, Yellow Springs, Ohio; and the Last Word, Mount Airy, Md.
Up here in the Polar Vortex-ish Northeast, I played the waiting game and opted for a winter storm post-forecast, tracking Fern through bookseller reports on social media. Here's my day-by-day retrospective:
Friday
The Plot Twist Bookbar, Denton, Tex.: "Welp... we knew this was coming. Due to inclement weather, we will be closing... but we'll continue to monitor conditions and keep y'all updated as soon as possible.... We hope you are safe, cozy, and warm all weekend long."
Left Bank Books, St. Louis, Mo.: "Hey Y'all, it's beyond freezing out there, if you or someone you know needs a coat please swing by and grab one! If you have any extra coats to drop off we have room for a few more! Let's help each other through this. Keep warm!"
Friendly City Books, Columbus, Miss.: "In case y'all haven't heard, it's gonna get icy this weekend. For the safety of our staff and customers, we'll be closed tomorrow.... BUT we're still open until 6 p.m. today--stock up your book stacks and prepare to get cozy!"
novel., Memphis, Tenn.: "Bread, milk, books, repeat. Stay safe out there, friends!"
Cleary's Bookstore, Mt. Holly, N.C.: "Have you heard? We're having the storm of the century. We're watching the weather closely, but in the meantime we've got your 'essentials' for surviving the weekend."
Saturday
Sower Books, Lincoln, Neb.: "BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR but we have hot chocolate and kittens!"
Bookmarx Books, Springfield, Mo.: "We'll be closed today due to weather conditions. Everyone stay safe and warm! Perfect time for some cozy winter reading with the cats."
Monstera's Books, Overland Park, Kan.: "We will be around until at least 4ish on Saturday, doing chores and getting some things done. It's beautiful out there but sure is cold!"
Main & Mountain Bookstore, Kernersville, N.C.: "Forget bread and milk! Buy books!"
Wellesley Books, Wellesley, Mass.: "We will be closed Sunday, Jan. 25th, due to the impending snowstorm. Monday opening is still to be determined.... Stay safe!"
Books Are Magic, Brooklyn, N.Y.: "Make sure to stop by today to get a book before the storm!... Stay warm."
Oblong Books, Rhinebeck, N.Y.: "We did the math and it turns out that you need one book for every inch of snow--so that means you might need 12 to 19 books. We don't make the rules, we just follow them!"
Sunday
Front Street Books, Alpine, Tex.: "Front Street Books is CLOSED today--y'all stay home, snuggle up, and be warm!"
Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, N.Y.: "It's a snow day! We are closed for the storm--stay safe!!"
Inkwood, Haddonfield, N.J.: "Did I want to walk in to the shop today when my phone said it was 12 degrees and we're closed for the storm? Not really. But I had to feed the foster kitties."
Novel Book Bar & Cafe, Portland, Maine: "Need a place to stay warm and escape the winter storm?? Novel will be open all day."
Monday
Joy and Matt's Books, Cincinnati, Ohio: "We are open today!... Road and sidewalks are cleared. Stop by if you need something to read or simply want to stretch your numbed legs."
Whistlestop Bookshop, Carlisle, Pa.: "The sidewalk is shoveled, a sort of path to the curb is next to the streetlamp--think of it as a stile. Mulan and I will be at the desk with kibble and water for her, granola and coffee for me, telling each other yarns about the past 40 hours."
Roundabout Bookstore, Greenfield, Mass.: "Open, with a circuitous path to books."
Bridgeside Books, Waterbury, Vt.: "Well, there's a first time for everything! And today was my first time skiing to work."
White Birch Books, North Conway, N.H.: "Just came in to do a 'quick' shovel to make tomorrow a little easier. All I can say is that I'm glad this snow is fluffy!!!"
Tuesday
Dickson Street Bookshop, Fayetteville, Ark.: "Thanks to Kathy Thompson for these great action shots of Suedee clearing the sidewalk today!"
Avid Bookshop, Athens, Ga.: "We have to stay closed today.... The parking lot and all the sidewalks in front of the shop are way too treacherous for me to feel right encouraging folks to come see us. Trust me, I fell on my booty despite being very cautious!"
Square Books, Oxford, Miss.: "We are still without power and unfortunately will be closed until that is resolved. We will let y'all know as soon as that changes and can't wait to welcome you all back. Hang in there, friends. Keep your head up and keep reading."
Parnassus Books, Nashville, Tenn.: "We're open-ish! It's still too dangerous for most of us to get to the store today, so no Laydown Diaries, but the store has power and a couple of booksellers who live close by are going to open the store."
Burke's Book Store, Memphis, Tenn.: "Thank you to all who walked or braved the roads to get to us today. It was good to see your faces and we appreciate every dollar spent!"
Wheatberry Books, Chillicothe, Ohio: "We are OPEN! Refresh your book stack, add in a puzzle, pick up a cozy sweatshirt, grab a mug for your hot cocoa. We have all of that and more today."
A Book Place, Riverhead, N.Y.: "We have a path to the shop and it's warm and cozy inside. Come visit. We know you need a book (or two) after reading for days."
East End Books, Provincetown, Mass.: "We have finally dug our way into @eastendbooksptown and the store has made it through okay! We look forward to seeing you."