Book to the Future: A Note from Cindy

imageIf ever I didn’t want to dwell in the present, this day is that. Or maybe I should say these days are those — I don’t even know how to construct that sentence. But just as I am not one to dwell on sentence structure, I am also not one to wallow in the past, swollen with nostalgia looking to all the great tomes of yore in times of global stress — Not me! I am looking to all the fun reads of the future.

Luckily, I am uniquely positioned to share them with you... Continued.

COVID-19 Update from Island Books

To our valued customers, supporters and community:

First of all, thank you for your continued support over the past few weeks during this unprecedented health and economic crisis. As you no doubt have heard, this crisis has hit small businesses particularly hard and Island Books is no exception. We appreciate the outpouring of support from our community. Your support of Island Books not only supports a Mercer Island institution but it also supports 6 Island Books employees. Nobody knows what the next few days and months will bring. We are hoping for the best possible outcome given the circumstances.

Yesterday, Washington State Governor Inslee announced the closure of all non-essential businesses by midnight Wednesday, March 25. As a result, Island Books will be closing the doors of its retail store at the end of the business day tomorrow (Wednesday, March 25th). Complying with this order is the right thing to do for our customers and our community at large. We support the governor in his decision. We will, however, continue to fulfill orders online (email: info@mercerislandbooks.com or www.mercerislandbooks.com) and phone orders (206-232-6920) as we always have. Our employees have the ability to fill these orders from home as long as there is a need and a demand for it from our customers and community. We will also continue to offer free shipping to anywhere in the US and free delivery on Mercer Island as we always have.

For today (Tues, March 24th) and tomorrow (Wed, March 25) we will be open from 9:00am to 8:00pm. If you’ve received a call from us regarding a pick-up of your order, we ask that you please pick up by end of day tomorrow (we are also happy to deliver on Mercer Island or ship your order – just let us know). During this time will continue the important practice of physical distancing (we will be our usual social selves but from a distance) within the store and we will limit the number of people in the store to 10 at a time. We ask for your understanding in helping us uphold these important health practices.

Please keep in touch and keep up with us on social media through Facebook and Instagram as well as our website. We’ll be making announcements and sharing important information about supporting local businesses and independent bookstores.

Shop local. Spend like it matters.

Stay well.

— The Island Books Team

A Message from Island Books

To the Island Books community —

We are truly grateful and humbled by the outpouring of support our community has always shown to Island Books but especially over the last few weeks. Your support of Island Books not only supports a Mercer Island institution but also supports 6 employees and provides health insurance for some of those employees (which is obviously important in these times).

We live in scary and uncertain times. Nobody knows what the next few weeks and months will bring. Our thoughts are with our most vulnerable family members, customers, supporters, and residents. It appears that the COVID-19 crisis will not only bring a health crisis to our community, but it may also bring an unprecedented economic crisis as well.

Island Books not only needs your support to survive but we also need a strong small business ecosystem around us as well. So, in addition to supporting Island Books, we humbly ask that you support the businesses in our Town Center and on the south end shopping center. Yes, you might pay a little more than you would online or with a national chain but we ask that you view that extra cost as an investment in your community. We guarantee that the national chains and online retailers will still be there once this crisis has passed (and it’s important to keep in mind that it will pass) – we promise. Without your support, small businesses may not be there in the future.

We want to guarantee that our island has a thriving small business community once this has passed because it makes Mercer Island a better place to live. These businesses also employ people who are part of our local economy (and also spend money at other small businesses like Island Books). So we suggest the following:

March 2020 eNewsletter

"March is the month of expectation..."

—Emily Dickinson
 

island-books-march-newsletter-open-for-business-shop-localWelcome to March... and man does March Madness now have a whole new meaning!

This is usually the time of year I write about basketball because it's my favorite sports season. John Feinstein has a new book out called The Back Roads to March: The Unsung, Unheralded, and Unknown Heroes of College Basketball. It's on my nightstand, but I haven't touched it yet. I've been too busy looking at Facebook, keeping myself updated on the Coronavirus and how it's impacting our community. Events are being cancelled left and right, people are hesitant to go into public spaces, and many companies and schools have people working remotely. We are afraid and unsettled. It is difficult for us to practice social distancing at the bookstore, as it is our job to present and interact with our community.

That being said, our doors are open as a place of refuge if you need a quiet spot to read and regroup. We are wiping down our surfaces and door knobs every day. In fact, we have a few events still happening this month, including a visit and talk with Mary McCann and Bob Sundstrom from NPR's BirdNote next week Cancelled. Poet Rebecca Bridge will be joining us to read from and celebrate the release of her poetry collection Cancelled. We have three local middle grade authors in conversation, Jody Little, Gabrielle Byrne, and Kristin Thorsness, to celebrate Jody Little's newest book Worse Than Weird. Cancelled. Jake Finifrock from Tru Adventure Travel will be talking to our community about learning languages quickly Cancelled. Our book clubs will be meeting as scheduled (Daytime Open Book Club on Monday the 16th is cancelled), as will our monthly Wine + Poetry series at Barrels Rescheduled to July 28th. Please check our website for updates if things change.

independent-bookstore-day-2020-island-books-seattleWe are also gearing up for Independent Bookstore Day on April 25th! We are taking orders (due on Monday!) for t-shirts and totes with the new independent bookstore day design. Take a look at it here. Email or call us with your size and we will put you on the list!

If you want books and cannot make it in, please give us a call or visit our website. We will deliver anywhere on Mercer Island at no extra charge (shipping books to anywhere in America is free too). You can call us at 206-232-6920 or send us an email at info@mercerislandbooks.com. We will help you out as best we can.

Keep calm, wash your hands, and read a book.

Laurie Raisys
Owner

P. S.
Happy birthday to Vaiva and Victor! Vaiva is Sweet Sixteen, and it's just another year for Victor ;).
 

Pages

Subscribe to Island Books RSS