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Eclectic: New bookstore offers a little bit of everything

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Parent Issue
Day
10
Month
July
Year
1988
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ECLECTIC
New bookstore offers a little bit of everything
By AMI WALSH ,,..,.
HEW$AIIl'Swtml !ftft: I! "IB
From the outside, the frellh coat
of azure blue paint suggests there's
something dl!ferent beyond the
porch doors of the house at 318 S.
Ashley.
And in the secood story window
~=~~~=· ~c;·.,.~ .~.· ~·~ i:."""t nounces Uiat lJiis
house is indeed different
residenllal Delghbors.
Inside, although there's no evi·
dence of the domesticity which pre·
viously fUied these rooms, plenty
of other remnants can be found.:
There are prehistoric shark
~; there are fish, insect and
leaf fossils; there are basketballsize
chunks of amethyst crystals
from Brazil; and there are paintings,
postcards, T-shirts and musical
tapes.
And, true to the name of this new
store (which opened June 18),
there are also book&: about 4,500
hardcovers aDd paperbacks,
The books, like the ortglnal art
on display, are an eclectic collection.
There are books about aging,
business, cooking, astrology, fiction,
poetry, health, fitness, and a
large selection about personal
transformation, creativity In women
and Uve Americ___lll.._cb1l.llat1oos.
"Our main focus is books," says
co-owner Kay Gould-<:askey, "but
our store is about people and their
creativity, so we didn't want to Urn·
it ourselves to just words.''
Although the bookshelves hold a
large selecUon of topks often asso-ciated
with New Age - such as
psychic: phenomena and astrology
- the owners are quick to point out
that their store does not cater to a
particular movement.
"We don't want people to think
it's just a New Age bookstore,"
says Goold-caskey, who founded
the Center for CreaUve Pursuits in
1972 and is also part owner of "The
Falling Water Press" publishing
company. "We want this to be a
place where people can just enjoy
llle and experience more of it."
And, as co-owner Jim Johnston
adds, "This is a great place to
browse and sit on the sofa or on the
carpet without your sboes. You can
do that here, because it doesn't feel
like a corporate headquarters for
books.''
"Kay and I have both been
drawn to creaUv1ty most of our
lives," says JohDSton, a 1968 University
of Michigan graduate in engineering,
who is now a published,
poet. "The process of pursuing:
those interests has led us here."
But for Johnston and Gou1d.Cas·
key, the process of opening their
first store - along with co-owners
Grace Forrest and Phyllis Martin
- did not now as smoothly as run·
ningwater.
"When we came in there were
holes in the wall," says Gould .Cas·
key, who explained the house was
renovated in three months. "Sever-
From left: Kay Gould-Caskey, Q-ace Forrest jim johnston and Phyllis Martin in front of F.1lling Water
Books & Collectables.
at times we were on the verge of
stopping but someone would al·
ways come through with help at the
last minute. It's like the store has
its own life now and its not going to
let anything else interfere.''
Now the rooms are furnJsbed
with chairs and sofas ("from Treasure
Mart and antique stores,"
says Gou.ld.Caskey). Upstairs
there's a cbildren's readiDg room
with toys, including a rocking
chair a l~e stuffed elephant and
wooden horse puppet.
Beginning Aug. 6, a series of cbil·
dren's story hours will be held at
the store. The 45-minute free read·
ings are for chUdren between the
ages of 5 and 8. To register or for
further inlormationcall747-9810.
Other events are scheduled for
the fall, including puppet and doll
shows, poetry readings and talks
by artists and performers.
The store is open MoDday
through Saturday from 11 a.m. until
10 p.m. with the uception of
Tuesday when tbe store is open
from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. On Sunday
tbe doors are open from nooo
untU5p.m.