CART500 Friends or Bust!
Summer 2009
Dear Readers,
There's a long and proud tradition of literary communities banding together to support beloved bookstores. My favorite example is Shakespeare & Company, the famous English language bookstore and lending library, founded by American Sylvia Beach, in Paris, in 1919. Shakespeare & Company struggled to keep their doors open during the Depression and only did so with the support of Beach's more affluent friends and patrons. In 1936 when it looked as though the shop would have to close, Andre Gide organized a group of writers into a club called "Friends of Shakespeare and Company". Two hundred subscriptions to their reading series were sold for 200 francs per year. The store remained open for five more years until it was forced to close during the occupation of France.
Last fall we revived our old membership program, and renamed it 500 Friends of Reading Frenzy, not just because of the lovely alliteration, but because we actually needed 500 Friends to step forward and support us in our efforts to not just survive, but create long-term sustainability for the shop. That was September 2008, and the recession hadn't even hit us yet. The following month would bring the worst drop in sales we've ever seen, a trend that continues as I type this now in June 2009. Being small and nimble goes a long way, but I have to admit we've come closer to having to close the shop than ever before.
Last week I made the momentous decision to renew our lease, in part a leap of faith, but also due to some good omens. A longtime friend and patron is making a healthy investment, some amazing people are getting involved with the shop on an ongoing basis, and there are other glimmers of economic hope on the horizon. But we still need your support -- to date, we have enlisted just 33 Friends of Reading Frenzy. We need to sign up another 200 members (give or take a few depending on what level folks join at) between now and summer's end. So, if you were wondering what to get us for our upcoming 15th anniversary, this is your answer.
Your Faithful Proprietress,
Chloe
P.S. Check out The Ledger (our blog) for a list of our current members.
Shoppe
More Recent Additions:
- East Village Inky #40
- Boneshaker #2
- Annalemma #4
- His Face Shall Grace the Cover
- Welcome to Falling Rock National Park
- Swift Winds
- Pocket Picture: Bird
- Northwest Bird Notecards
- Happy 2 Week Anniversary!
- Sorry I Stole Your Bike
The Ledger
The Moe Bowstern Challenge
Zine River: IPRC Benefit Show!
New Works
Amelia Harnas: Sketchbook Release
500 Friends of Reading Frenzy Members!
About
The Ledger is the Reading Frenzy blog written by Chloe Eudaly and celebrity guests!
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Currently Showing
SUNDAY, JUNE 21st
- TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd
500 Friends of Reading Frenzy Summer Membership Drive!
Check it out here.
THURSDAY, JULY 2nd, 6PM
Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today?
Artist's Reception for Kate Bingaman-Burt
We're very, very pleased to present Obsessive Consumption by Kate Bingaman-Burt this month! Ms. Bingaman-Burt will practically be creating a store within a store with not just an exhibit, but window displays, bins filled with dozens of original drawings, 40 issues of her beautifully produced What Did You Buy Today zines, and other objects and oddities relating to personal consumption! We can't wait!
Kate Bingaman-Burt is an illustrator, designer, writer and founder of Obsessive Consumption. She also is an assistant professor of graphic design at Portland State University.
For the last four years, she has produced drawings inspired from her daily purchases, no matter how mundane. Bingaman-Burt's work explores the relationship between people and their possessions as was as the consumer culture.
Her work about personal consumerism has appeared in installations and exhibitions across the country as well as in multiple media outlets such as New York Times Magazine, How, Print, Art News and National Public Radio. Princeton Architectural Press is publishing her first book: Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today? which contains containing 650 of her Daily Purchase Drawings, patterns and credit card statements in March of 2010.
She is active in the indie craft and craftivism movements and provided all of the illustrations for the book Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft and Design as well as the promotions for the companion documentary of the same name. Some of the other people she happily draws for are IDEO, Madewell, Ready-Made Magazine, The New York Times and Wieden + Kennedy.
Kate also travels to schools and conducts zine workshops and spreads the craftivism word. She will be conducting her first international zine workshop for the American University in Cairo, Egypt in 2010.
This event is free. The exhibit will run through the month of July. Plus come have some free beer, courtesy of our new event sponsor -- Ninkasi Brewing Company!
Upcoming Events
MONDAY, JULY 20th, 7PM
The Global Game
Reading and signing with editor Alon Raab and special guests!
More info coming soon...
THURSDAY, JULY 23rd, 7PM
Sick: A Compilation Zine on Physical Illness
Reading and Zine Release Party!
More info coming soon...
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12th, 7PM
Boneshaker #3 Release Party!
with editor Evan P Schneider and friends!
More info coming soon...
