Around Indies

Politics and Prose’s Barbara Meade Retires

On December 31, Barbara Meade, co-founder of Washington D.C.’s iconic Politics and Prose [1], announced her retirement. Meade opened the store in 1984 with the late Carla Cohen. In 2011, the store was purchased by Bradley Graham and Lissa Muscatine, with Meade serving as an advisor to the new owners.

After 29 years at the store, Meade admitted that she will always remain involved.

“I’ll continue my involvement in the store by hosting events, hanging out in the coffeehouse, and leisurely browsing what’s new on the bookshelves,” she wrote in a message [2] on the store website. 

Meade goes on to say that finding Graham and Muscatine was “a miracle,” and she is certain that she is leaving the store in capable hands.

“They’re fast learners — in just a year-and-a-half they’ve mastered my 35 years of accumulated knowledge!,” she said. “I’m tempering my sadness in leaving with my complete confidence that Brad and Lissa will sustain and grow P&P’s stature as an important literary and cultural center in today’s world.”

Dog Ears Adds Café

On Saturday, Dog Ears Bookstore [3]in South Buffalo, New York, will open Dog Ears Café. When the space was vacated by Caz Café, bookstore owner Thomas McDonnell took matters into his own hands, with the belief that the two businesses will fuel each other.

“The café and the bookstore complement each other perfectly, and the new traffic pattern within the building will make it much easier to simultaneously enjoy both establishments,” McDonnell told Buffalo Rising [4].

BookCourt to Host Sandy Benefit

This Saturday, Brooklyn’s BookCourt [5]is hosting an “All-Day Sandy Benefit” [6]that will feature readings by Tad Hills, Jennifer Cody Epstein, Nick Flynn, Arthur Phillips, Emma Straub, Todd Colby, and Jonathan Ames.

Fifteen percent of the day’s proceeds will go toward Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

Literati to Open in Ann Arbor

On Tuesday, Hilary Lowe and Michael Gustafson signed a lease to open Literati Bookstore [7]in downtown Ann Arbor.

The 2,600-square-foot space — which was formerly a campaign office — will undergo minor renovations, including a new floor in the basement and a fresh coat of paint. Lowe and Gustafson haven’t set an opening date, but hope to be in business by the end of the spring.

 “We’re moving forward as quickly as we can,” Lowe told AnnArbor.com. [8]“We’re extremely happy to have the location and we can’t wait to open.”