Do you know the meaning behind the name of our bookstore? I didn’t know the backstory behind it until I started working here as a bookseller, so I feel it’s important to bring it up. The name originates from a theory proposed by sociologist Ray Oldenberg that says every person needs three places: first is your home; second is your workplace or school; and third is your community. A place where people from all walks of life can come together and both experience and celebrate their commonality as well as their diversity. It is a ‘third place’.

I don’t know about you, but this past year I have watched far too much television and spent far too little time on anything remotely productive. It has been difficult for me to find things that can capture and hold my attention - even reading has felt like a chore lately. When I’m having trouble reigning in my idleness, sometimes I turn to paper crafts. Paper folding, cutting, and gluing doesn't demand all of my focus, and I need that when I’m not in the mental/emotional space to give anything my complete attention. There are so many different kinds of crafts and so many creative crafting possibilities to explore that can help with restlessness and inattention.

Massive loss that left so many feeling helpless, fragile and unmoored. The ongoing fight for equity. A catch-all anxiety tied to the simple passing of time. Moments of true rest were few and far between this past year. But there were moments.

During this weird and tumultuous time, these lovely things that authors are creating have been incredibly inspiring and heartwarming to see. Enjoy!

1. V.E. Schwab: No Write Way on Instagram

Well, we made it through winter, Pacific NW friends. It isn't the Spring we were expecting, but nevertheless, May is here!  Hopefully everyone has been able to enjoy the changing weather as much as possible. If you’ve been stuck indoors more than you prefer to be this Spring, here are some unrelated books with flowers on the cover to bring the Spring inside. 

It’s going to be a strange graduation season folks, which is all the more reason to celebrate the graduates in our lives. There may be no ceremonies, but we should still honor this accomplishment -- in a safe way. And as far as graduation gifts go, books are an evergreen idea. 

Christina and Michael are both big mystery readers and here have formed a dynamic duo to bring you some fresh recommendations! Maybe you have extra time to read these days - or maybe you need something wholly engaging to de-stress from another difficult day. 

With our stores closed and the future of social gatherings uncertain, our booksellers have been talking a lot about what it means to be a Third Place in the time of quarantine.

Ready for a new read but not sure what it should be? Don't take our word for it. Check out what your neighbors are reading lately. They've got good taste!

In this age of quarantine, we all have something in common. Until a few weeks ago, most of us had three separate and distinct “places” in our lives: our homes, our workplaces, and our third places – those places for, well, just about everything else. These third places are where we engage in essential social experiences, where we come together, where we meet friends, practice our hobbies, and express ourselves.

Three different activities, three different identities, built on a lifetime of habit. And for the last few weeks, they have all been reduced to one place: Our homes.