Recently at Nowhere Bookshop we realized that we’re more than 5 years in and whenever someone asks us for professional photographs we just shrug and send them what we took on our phones that day because we aren’t great at marketing. But this year we decided to be grown-ups and hire an amazing local photography team and we bribed some of our regulars (WE HAVE REGULARS. STAY CALM EVERYONE. ACT COOL) with free drinks to come in after hours and the photographs were so lovely! I can’t find any of them right now because I am too disorganized but I do have this one they took of me trying to install Beartram’s head while Elizabeth tries to dissuade me and honestly, it’s maybe not incredibly professional but it’s incredibly accurate.
In related news, this was a good year for the bookstore and cafe in spite of the world being on fire (THANK YOU!) and because of your support we’ve been able to offer medical benefits and 401Ks to our team, which is a really big deal for an indie bookshop. WHOOP! This could only happen because of the support of you and the community and our amazing team and I’m so lucky to be part of this.
This year we’re relaunching the Fantastic Strangelings Books Club for its 6th year. All our book clubs are special but Fantastic Strangelings was our first and it has kept us out of the red every year, so as a thank you we’re going to start sending out several little gift surprises to you through the year, including custom club bookmarks with special code words that will get Fantastic Strangelings 20% off anything online or in store. It’s less than $30 a month and you get a new hardback book each month that I pick out myself. (We ship everywhere.) I tend to pick strange but lovely books from debut authors or marginalized writers, heavy on strong female characters, magical realism, weirdness, queer-friendly, progressive, hopeful…books that might not get the attention they deserve. If you want to join just click over here for details. And if you were a former member who paused their subscription you can rejoin for free. 🙂 Also, it makes a great gift so feel free to send this to your significant other with the title “hint-hint” if they complain you are too hard to shop for.
Speaking of books…if you’re a Fantastic Strangeling this month we’re sending you Cape Fever from award-winning South African author Nadia Davids. It’s a gothic psychological thriller set in the 1920s, where a young Muslim maid finds herself entangled with the spirits of a decaying manor and the secrets of its enigmatic owner. Haunting.
And if you’re a member of our horror club (Nightmares from Nowhere) we’re sending you Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester, a historical horror novel that connects three women across three centuries through a shared legacy of female rage and power against patriarchal oppression. YES PLEASE.
(We also have a romance club and a picture book club if my tastes are too dark for you. No judgement.)
And (sorry this is so long!) we also just launched our newly-redesigned website so pretty-please go check it out because we’re quite proud of it. OH, and I just realized that some of our new photos are on the new website! So it totally worked out that I couldn’t find them before.
Seeing a very curious lack of bear head pictures over there though.
Ok, but let’s talk about that black dress…
Gotta say, you missed a trick by not calling him Beartram really
(Oops! Spellcheck autocorrected it. It’s totally “Beartram.” ~ Jenny)
Everyone at the store is absolutely wonderful and caring. I have wanted to go since you opened your doors but live across the country. My husband was near you and went. He broke down crying because I wasn’t there and a lovely lady helped him to check out. I wish I knew her name because he said she was wonderful. I hope to make it one day.
You’re amazing and I love you
We always make it a point to stop in and buy books whenever we are visiting San Antonio. So glad to hear everything is going well!
It’s the new version of beauty and the beast after the beast removed is skin to show a beautiful Victor yes? yes!!!!
You have totally made my Christmas. Things can be a little bleak now for some and you always bring simmering pixie dust to the situation. Helps many.
Thank you. Xoxo
Jenny, wishing you, your family, and your bookstore family a cozy, joyful holiday season with lots of reading time!
I think someone needs to design a Beartrum chair kinda like Cherry from Pee Wee’s Playhouse! Like the head would need to be mounted high enough that you are nestled beneath his head. Cover the whole chair in faux fur. Put claws on the ends of the arms and add feet! I make weird things and boy, if I lived there, I’d be right over to make a Beartrum, Bear hug chair!
Hope your holidays are full of laughter and pain free! I cannot wait until my new book arrives!!!
I wish I could go and see it, but just knowing it exists makes me happy.
Beartram is awesome!
May your indie bookstore continue to provide livelihoods and refuge for your employees and customers for years to come!
PLEASE, just put him face up in the true middle of the store and put a sign on him that says “Take a picture with Beartram in the middle of Nowhere.”
My mind always reads it as “Fantastic Strangling” 😀 …Could be for murder mysteries…
I love you just so much. Giant bear hugs from North Carolina.
Hats off to you all, Nowhere Book Store, for taking top notch care of your employees with a generous benefit package! A first class achievement nowadays.
Where did you find Beartram? I love him!