A long ass time ago someone in the 
stlouis community asked for tips on good used bookstores. I responded singing the praises of Subterranean Books, the coolest bookstore in the world. I promised Javier I’d send him a link to that post, but since I’ve been unable to find it, I thought I’d post about them again.
Yeah, I’m dick riding, but they deserve it.
I’ve known Javier and his wife, Beth for about fourteen years and they are two of the nicest people in the world. When I was working at Bijou Movies, it was nothing for me and Javier to turn a five second video rental transaction into a two hour impromptu conversation about art, religion, philosophy or politics. Bijou went the way of most independant videostores in the wake of Blockbuster, Hollywood Video and Schnucks Video Club. I lost touch with a ton of really cool people who I considered friends without realizing that we never exchanged phone numbers or addresses, many of whom I never saw outside of the videostore.
Luckily for me Javier made good on his plan to open a used book store. Now our impromtu conversations take place few miles further east on Delmar, with me on the opposite side of the counter.
Now is usually the time when I go on and on about the importance of supporting locally owned businesses, but I’d be preaching to the choir, right? Instead, two anecdotes from the Loop:
Once, I walked into the Meshuggah Cafe, upset that I had gotten into an arguement with a cab dispatcher and could not get a taxi to see my mom in the hospital. Patrick, the owner, heard me venting and gave me a ride. I doubt this would have happened at Starbucks.
Once, I walked into Subterranean and Kelly, Javier’s partner, handed me an advance copy of a new Richard Price novel. She gave it to me for free because she remembered that I had bought two Richard Price novels from them in the past. How cool is that? That shit don’t happen at Borders.
When I was working at Bijou Movies
OMG! When did you work at Bijou? That was my FAVORITE video store in STL! Broke my heart when it closed…
Glad to see that someone is still carrying the indie book store flame. The first indie bookstore I ever went to was Paul’s Books, where Cicero’s is now. I bought ACROSS FIVE APRILS and ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY there in 7th grade for required reading assignments.
I worked at Bijou from 1992-1998.
Paul’s Books huh? Javier’s wife Beth used to work there. Incidentally, I lost my virginity to Paul’s daughter.
Wow, you worked a Bijou?? I lived about a block away from there until I was 10 (in 1995). I used to come in with my dad almost every weekend around age 7 and rent “The Sound of Music.” I could have been your client.
I lost my virginity to Paul’s daughter.
Ooh…now there is a story! How old were you? Your house or her’s? ;P
smile on your face while delivering that little rememberence, I am sure………. now who is doing the ‘talking about the old days’? That is a good advertisement, I am going this week to see what I can do to make me build another bookcase, even though I have been there on numerous occasions.
Oh God.
I was sixteen. At her house. She’s gonna kill me. She reads this journal.
Yeah, thanks for that. But I appreciate your friend’s memories of the store. xoxo
You know you love it
Ha ha you have a livejournal.
I just added you. {smooch}
Re: You know you love it
You know it was just so I could comment on your posts, baby. Don’t expect much in the way of journaling. Still trying to download a pic.
Yep. It was the best job I ever had. Considering it didn’t pay shit and the owner hated me, that’s saying something.
LOL!!! Congratulations. I was in college before I was deflowered…or even kissed by a boy. 🙂
I guess your sister was the wild one. Oops, did I say that?
LOL! I know nothing about her life away from our house other than this one time in college she went to the hospital with alcohol poisoning. She called to tell me about how wasted she was (ooh…how hard core ;P) and I was just like, “That was stupid. You could have drank yourself to death. DUH!”
Three of my favourite places in STL;
Meshuggah
Subterranean Books
The Loop
These three places, as well as few people who I really love, have been the only things keeping me here 🙂
alcohol poisoning
That’s fucked up!
Yeah. She may have her Master’s degree but I never drank myself into the hospital. So there. ;P