For the Love of Bookstores - Burke's Books

 


One of the things I have missed since leaving Memphis was Burke's Books in the Cooper-Young District of Midtown Memphis. They are the oldest bookstore in the city and in having such an honour like that, you can be sure to find anything and everything within their store. I remember many years ago that the bookstore was located in an old building at 1719 Poplar Avenue in Midtown and then Corey and Cheryl Mesler bought the bookstore in 2000 and moved to Cooper-Young in 2007. Yet, the "feel" of that bookstore was still the same with a smell that I always affiliated with Midtown. That smell seemed to be a mix of old paper, vanilla, rainwater, and earth. Some of the older apartments in Midtown had that smell and I loved it every time I walked into a building or a friend's home. Or, even my high-rise apartment in a historic building that was possibly haunted. But, that's another story.  

I feel terrible that I didn't go to Burke's as much as I should. It should have been a Sunday event for me, right after enjoying a good breakfast out somewhere, or after taking a long walk in Overton Park. However, I did support them as best as I could and even though I now live in Colorado, there's this wonderful thing called "ordering online". I recently ordered a book by a Swedish author I'd never heard of (Claire Akebrand) from them and finally started it last night. Reading the quiet novel suddenly reminded me of a time when I went to Burke's one rainy weekend day. There were several patrons milling about in the bookstore, and so I joined them in escaping the rain and also looking for a new read to carry home. There was this guy talking with a friend of his as they stood in the middle of the bookstore. He sounded slightly arrogant and I remembered how I felt a little irritated at him. Looking back, I now realize that that was part of the bookstore experience. You visit a bookstore not just for looking for books, but also to engage with people in a nondirect way. Even as we are still in the middle of this pandemic, walking around in a bookstore while your personal bubble brushes against someone else's without having to talk with them is still needed. I can't believe that I still remember that guy on that rainy day.

You also visited Burke's during the Cooper-Young Festival, a one-day event that occurred on a Saturday in September. The streets were closed off, allowing a plethora of artists, musicians, food, and everyone and anyone to walk the streets and give in to the eclectic magick that Midtown gave off. It was also a chance to run into friends you hadn't seen since the last Cooper-Young Festival. I called the festival "Midtown Reunion", because I always ran into people who lived in the area with me, yet we never hung out. Burke's would have their doors open, ready to welcome everyone who wanted a good book. The place would be crawling with patrons and I wondered if they ever returned once the festival was over. Whenever I returned to Cooper-Young after the festival, it was quiet with few people walking around, doing their usual Sunday routine. The bookstore was still open, much quieter yet with fewer patrons and still with that lovely Midtown scent. 


Burke's Books - 936 South Cooper Street, Memphis, TN 38104 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Crows

Image
  (tea leaves photo by me) The old crow flew down from the skies and perched next to me. Of all the times when I flew, he said in a gravelly voice, I wished to be on the ground. He cocked his head at me and waited for my reply. Instead, I set a small tin cup before him and filled it with my morning Tea. He cawed once, then lowered his beak into the warm liquid. Conversations are always important, I replied while he drank. That's why we are lost without them. The crow continued to drink the Tea. Just then, a woman with red hair and dressed in all black, walked up to us and sat down on the other side of me. I've forgotten how to think, she said in a singsong voice. The crow raised his head and cawed - then how are you talking now? His black beady eyes focused on her crooked smile. She closed her eyes and transformed into another crow. I stared off at the clouds and wondered if our thoughts betray us, or if we are the result of them. I then poured Tea into another cup and gave it
Read more

Choices - Flash Fiction

Image
  A young woman walked into the room, glanced around at the plethora of books for sale, and then noticed the older man assisting a customer as he stood behind the checkout table. He must be a volunteer, she thought as she began to slowly peruse the titles ready to be purchased and carted off to their new home. She flipped through a box of Fiction titles, only to wander to another box filled with graphic novels. She pulled out several books in a non-committal manner, then walked up to the man and set the books before him. Oliver offered her a smile that spoke - Welcome to the library book sale. So glad to see you here! Can you help me, she asked him, as his smile faltered just a little. I'm not sure which book to purchase, so could you read through them and let me know which ones sound interesting? The man resumed his regular smile as he replied - sure, glad to do it. The two other volunteers watched with careful eyes as he gently flipped through each book and read their dust jacket
Read more

Tea Is A Good Friend of Mine - Celia Carmen Aceae

Image
Here's another great interview - meet Celia Carmen Aceae! What’s your name and what part of the world do you live in? Hi! My name is Celia Carmen Aceae and I live in Montreal, QC, Canada How long have you been drinking tea? What’s the story, morning glory? I’ve been drinking tea since I can remember. In my house, we never drank water and there was no rule against children consuming caffeine at all! I’ve only recently realized that the reason my sister and I were always labeled as crazy, wild and hyper at school, was probably because my mom sent us to class every day with a giant jug of tea. We were constantly caffeinated! Tea also means more than just Camellia sinensis for me. I’ve been reading about medicinal herbs since I was eight. My mother forbade all forms of medication in our household, so I learned at a young age how to cure small ailments with plants and tisanes. My sister was very prone to headaches and anytime she started to get one, I would hop on my
Read more