Downtown Comings and Goings. 1/9/12.

All right. I feel somewhat compelled to do this list again,
because of the Downtowner's press release which you can find
on KTVZ.

Most of the "new" businesses they list aren't actually new. Some
are expansions, and several are simple lateral moves. The only
new business I could see was the Solar Power business and I decided
it doesn't my perimeters of retail. ("information and consultation")

Lotus Moon is actually losing a storefront and moving into Tres
Jolie. By my definitions, that is a lost space...so I'm listing it as
"leaving" with a note that it has moved.

Game Domain has moved into a smaller space below in the downstairs
of the Penny's Galleria, so they've lost their street front space but I'm
keeping them on the list.

Brother Jon's has named their new restaurant: The Ale House,
so I'm changing that name below.

The Dog Patch seems to be definitely leaving. And Bend
Mapping and Blueprinting is moving out of downtown to
Greenwood.

So by my definitions, we've actually lost three or four
spaces -- and the occupancy rate of 92% would imply maybe one
or two more that I haven't discovered.

NEW BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN

The Ale House, Bond St., 12/10/11.
What Lola Wants, Wall St. , 12/2/11.
Jackalope Grill, 10/12/11.
Gypsy Soul, Wall St. 10/12/11.
Colour N' the City, Tin Pan Alley, 10/12/11.
Lotus Moon, Brooks St., 10/12/11.
The Lobby, Bond St. , 10/12/11.
Ruby, Minnesota Ave., 10, 12/11.
Kariella, Lava Road, 8/24, 11.
Plankers, Wall St., 7/11.
Faveur, Franklin, 7/11.
Dream Pebbles, Minnesota Ave., 6/15/11.
Bend Yogurt Factory, Franklin/Bond, 4/26/11.
High Desert Lotus, Bond St. , 4/4/11.
Tryst, Franklin Ave., 3/11/11. (Formerly Maryjanes, **Moved**).
D'Vine, Wall St. , 2/9/11.
Let it Ride!, Bond St., 1/29/11.
Gatsby's Brasserie Bar, Minnesota Ave., 1/8/11
Tres Jolie, Wall St., 12/20/10.
Caldera Grill, Bond St., 12/7/10
Bond Street Grill, 12/7/10.
Perspective(s), Minnesota Ave., 11/20/10
Toth Art Collective, Bond St. 11/20/10
Boken, Breezeway, 11/20/10
Dalia and Emilia, Wall St., 10/3/10.
Antiquarian Books, Bond St., 10/3/10.
Giddyup, Minnesota Ave., 10/3/10.
The Closet, Minnesota Ave., 8/11/10.
Showcase Hats, Oregon Ave., 8/11/10,
Red Chair Art Gallery, Oregon Ave. 7/13/10.
Earth Sense Herbs, Penny's Galleria, 7/12/10.
Mad Happy Lounge, Brooks St., 6/2910
Common Table, Oregon Ave. , 6/29/10.
Looney Bean Coffee, Brooks St. , 6/29/10.
Bourbon Street, Minnesota Ave., 6/22/10
Feather's Edge, Minnesota Ave., 6/22/10
The BLVD., Wall St. , 6/13/10.
Volt, Minnesota Ave. 6/1/10.
Tart, Minnesota Ave. , 5/13/10
Olivia Hunter, Wall St. 4/5/10.
Tres Chic, Bond St. 4/5/10
Blue Star Salon, Wall St. 4/1/10.
Lululemon, Bond St. 3/31/10.
Diana's Jewel Box, Minnesota Ave., 3/25/10.
Amalia's, Wall St. (Ciao Mambo space), 3/12/10
River Bend Fine Art, Bond St. (Kebanu space) 2/23/10
Federal Express, Oregon Ave. 2/1/10
***10 Below, Minnesota Ave. 1/10/10
Tew Boots Gallery, Bond St. 1/8/10.
Top Leaf Mate, 12/10/09
Laughing Girls Studio, Minnesota Ave. 12/7/09
Lemon Drop, 5 Minnesota Ave., 11/12/09
The Curiosity Shoppe, 25 N.W. Minnesota Ave, Suite #7. 11/5/09
Wabi Sabi 11/4/09 (**Moved, Wall St.**)
Frugal Boutique 11/4/09
5 Spice 10/22/09
Cowgirls Cash 10/17/09
***Haven Home 10/17/09
Dog Patch 10/17/09
The Good Drop 10/12/09
Lola's 9/23/09
**Volcano Wines 9/15/09
Singing Sparrow Flowers 8/16/09
Northwest Home Interiors 8/5/09
High Desert Frameworks 7/23/09 (*Moved to Oregon Ave. 4/5/10.)
Wall Street Gifts 7/--/09
Ina Louise 7/14/09
Bend Home Hardware (Homestyle Hardware?) 7/1/09
Altera Real Estate 6/9/09
Honey 6/7/09
Azura Studio 6/7/09
Mary Jane's 6/1/09
c.c.McKenzie 6/1/09
Velvet 5/28/09
Bella Moda 3/25/09
High Desert Gallery (Bend) 3/25/09
Joolz
Zydeco
900 Wall
Great Outdoor Store
Luxe Home Interiors
Powell's Candy
Dudley's Used Books and Coffee
Goldsmith
Game Domain
Subway Sandwiches
Bend Burger Company
Showcase Hats
Pita Pit
Happy Nails

(List begun, Fall, 2008.)

BUSINESSES LEAVING

The Dog Patch, Minnesota Av. 1/9/12.
Bend Mapping, Bond St., 1/9/12.
Lotus Moon, Brooks St. 1/9/12 (Moving into Tres Jolie)
Bond Street Grill, Bond St., 11/20/12.
Mad Happy Lounge, Brooks St., 10/11.
Azu, Wall St., 10/25/11.
Showcase Hats, Oregon Av., 10/11.
Bourbon St., Minnesota Ave. 10/12/11.
Curiosity Shop, Minnesota Ave., 7/11
Luluemon, Bond St., 8/26, 11.
Shear Illusions, Franklin Ave., 7/11.
Crepe Place, Wall St., 7/11.
Pita Pit, Brooks St. , 6/28/11
Smith and Wade Salon, Minnesota, Av. , 6/3/11.
Perspectives, Minnesota Av., 6/1/11
River Bend Art Gallery, Bond St., 5/5/11.
Donner's Flowers, Wall St. 3/11/11. (**Moved out of downtown**)
Maryjanes, Wall St. , 3/11/11. (new name, Tryst, moved to Franklin.).
Di Lusso, Franklin/Bond, 2/9/11.
Earth Sense Herbs, Penny's Galleria, 1/2/11
Marz Bistro, Minnesota Av., 12/20/10.
The Decoy, Bond St., 12/7/10.
Giuseppe's, Bond St., 12/1/10.
Ina Louise, Minnesota Ave., 11/3/10.
Laughing Girl Studios, 10/21/10
Dolce Vita, Bond St, 10/21/10
Diana's Jewell Box, Minnesota Ave., 10/15/10.
Lola's, Breezeway, 10/8/10.
Oxygen Tattoo, Bond St., 10/3/10.
Great Outdoor Clothing, Wall St., 10/3/10.
Volcano Vineyards, Minnesota Ave., 10/3/10.
Subway Sandwiches, Bond St. 9/2/10.
Old Bend Distillery, Brooks St., 6/19/10.
Staccato, Minnesota Ave. 6/18/10.
Showcase Hats, Minnesota Ave., 6/1/10 (Moved to Oregon Ave., 8/10/11.)
Cork, Oregon Ave., 5/27/10.
Wall Street Gifts, 5/26/10
Microsphere, Wall St. , 5/17/10.
Singing Sparrow, Franklin and Bond, 5/15/10
28, Minnesota Ave. and Bond, 5/13/10.
Glass Symphony, Wall St., 3/25/10
Bend Home Hardware, Minnesota Ave, 2/25/10
Ciao Mambo, Wall St. 2/4/10
***Angel Kisses 1/25/10 (Have moved to 'Honey.')
Ivy Rose Manor 8/20/09
***Downtowner 8/18/09 (moving into the Summit location)
Chocolate e Gateaux 8/16/09
Finders Keepers 8/15/09
Colourstone 7/25/09
Periwinkle 6/--/09
***Tangerine 7/21/09 (Got word, they are moving across the street.)
Micheal Cassidy Gallery 6/15/09
St. Claire Coffee 6/15/09
Luxe Home Interiors 6/4/09
Treefort 5/8/09
Blue 5/2/09
***Volcano Tasting Room 4/28/09** Moved to Minnesota Ave.
Habit 4/16/09
Mountain Comfort 4/14/09
Tetherow Property 4/11/09
Blue Moon Marketplace 3/25/09
Plenty 3/25/09
Downtown Doggie 3/25/09
***King of Sole (became Mary Janes)**
Santee Alley
Bistro Corlise
Made in Hawaii
EnVogue
Stewart Weinmann (leather)
Kebanu Gallery
Pella Doors and Windows
Olive company
Pink Frog
Little Italy
Deep
Merenda's
Volo
***Pomegranate (downtown branch)**
Norwalk
Pronghorn Real Estate office.
Speedshop Deli
Paper Place
Bluefish Bistro

(List begun, Fall 2008.)

Have begun the rewrite.

Actually, most of my 're-writing' has taken the form of adding new material to the first draft.

I'm taking advantage of the characters' longevity by adding flashbacks. This will allow me to:

1.) Add historical personages, who have had contact with the "dark."
2.) Develop the love relationship between the main character and the love of his life.
3.) Bring in scenes where I describe the creatures who will show up at the end.

Since the two overall themes of the book are to show the long process of "becoming human" and the long process of showing the demise of species -- of both worlds -- and the main character's efforts to save them, this flashback process allows me to show it happening, instead of telling.

I've had a blast incorporating historical characters into the scenes. And the two themes as well as the love story are going to add some depth and texture to the story.

The biggest problem with bringing in the new material isn't the new scenes themselves -- by definition, they pretty much hold up as distinct material.

No...it's the narrative and the explanations that are going to be hard to time -- to make all the connecting tissue in the right places and not repeat myself or give away too much in doing it.

I'm keeping the faith that I can be clever enough in the end to smooth all that out.

A good result.

I'm feeling extremely proud of myself right now.

I didn't have to make that big step toward gaming and new books a few years ago. It was a risk. I could have just tried to keep making what I do work.

And I did do that. Sales this Christmas were higher on comics and graphic novels than last year, so I haven't lost any ground there.

But sales on boardgames actually beat comics in December, which is totally unexpected. Sales on novels beat graphic novels, also unexpected.

So I'm proud of diagnosing the problem and coming up with a solution and making it work. I've managed to bring in two strong product lines without displacing existing product lines, which with my limited space, was a very creative effort.

I'm now trying to imagine how my store would be doing if I hadn't made the investment in games and books. Ouch.

Throwing more money at comics and graphic novels and card games and sports cards and anime and toys wouldn't have boosted sales all that much. They were already fully developed and mature categories.

Now that I've established games and books, I'm taking a second look at all the other categories, and trying to rejuvenate them, as well. Toys, (starting the carry the standard DC and Marvel action figures), cards, anime (brought in all the Myizaki movies, for instance), etc. etc. Small increases would be acceptable in all these categories.

I never did ease up on comics and graphic novels. I've been buying them full bore all along. And especially in comics, I've actually increased the numbers I order. I'm not letting them fall away.

Basically, books and games are doing about twice as well as my initial hope for them, with room still to grow.

I haven't had the urge in the last three years to bring in more categories, though. It simply isn't possible....


I'll have more detailed totals later in the day, for both the month and the year.

Sat. Shots

Stupid me, it never occurred to me that The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo would still sell. I knew that all the used copies of all three books were gone from the store, and none have come in lately. But I didn't think anyone would want it new.

So the constant flow of requests surprises me.

I mean, it was a bestseller for a couple of years, or more. There has already been a trilogy of movies released (Swedish) and well....it just seemed like old news.

But -- apparently -- a Hollywood movie. That's different.

**********

Meanwhile, Hunger Games sells O.K.

But I know the big surge is coming...

**********

We sold a whole bunch of Tintins. Unlike the usual pattern of graphic novels mostly selling in advance, in anticipation of a movie, I'm pretty sure these mostly sold to people who had seen the movie.

It had that effect on me.

**********

The Blazers seem to be winning without any big stars.

Sadly, that probably won't continue. But wouldn't it be cool if it did?

**********

Dear T.V.

QUIT putting all your good shows on SUNDAY! Even my DVR can't keep up.

**********

Tucker and Dale vs Evil: What a fun movie!

Did this movie even make it to Bend? Did I just miss that?

Also watching Troll Hunter, though I'm not a big fan of the Blair Witch kind of movie. But I appreciate the cleverness of it.

(I HATED Blair Witch, and honestly don't get why people like it...)

**********

A couple of the online reviewers of my books Snowcastles and Icetowers made fun of the possibility that people could live in such places.

But ever since, I've been reading more and more instances where people build such things, Ice Hotels and such. There was an blurb in the Bulletin the morning about a church in Bavaria that was built of snow and ice.

I just figured it was possible -- like giant igloo's.

"But how do the people handle fire?" Linda asks.

"Not my problem. It's a fantasy." I answer.

"But it IS your problem...."

"O.K. They have a special formula that makes the ice as hard as rock. Sheeesh."

The future's so bright, we need to pull shades.

I know this is a utterly ridiculously contrarian viewpoint, but I think the future of the independent bookstore, games store, comic store, video store, record store -- is bright. So bright, we need to pull shades.

If I had to guess what a town like Bend will look like in 10 years, I'd bet we have at least one independent bookstore, one record store, one comic store, one games store -- maybe more.

What we won't have is a Borders, Barnes and Noble, Blockbuster, Virgin Records -- whatever oversized monstrosity you choose.

In other words, it's the mass market, category killers who are going to be wiped out by the digital asteroid, leaving the survivors of this digital revolution to reap the benefits. The dinosaurs will be gone, and the mammals will have their day. After generations of scurrying into niches, the niches are going to bloom.

For most of my career, the mass market has been the biggest obstacle to my making money. The internet is relatively new, and frankly, the same responses I developed to survive the onslaught of Walmart is the same response I have to Amazon.

You can't beat them.

They will always be cheaper, they will always have more.

I was fortunate in that comics were such a small industry, that the mass market more or less ignored them. I could take a bigger slice of a much smaller pie. There are probably as many comic books stores in the U.S.A. as there are independent bookstores, or record stores, even though comics are much, much smaller market overall.

My guess is, that a small slice of a much bigger market (books, games, toys, music), even if that market shrinks drastically, will provide independents a future.

For sure, there is going to be a shakeout, as everyone adjusts to the new realities. Creative destruction on a massive scale.

But I truly believe that the shopping experience, the browsing, touching, seeing, talking, feeling, atmosphere soaking experience of independent stores is here to stay. Let Amazon have 90% of the market, and the 10% will still probably be more money than most comic stores make today, so I know it can be done. Independents won't get rich, but I think there can still be a satisfying career to be had.

No doubt, digital will reign supreme, but there will still be plenty of people who want books, or who want digital...and books. I think, in fact, that there will be lots of people who come back us, as the soullessness of the computer screen sinks in.

It will be our job as independents to have an idiosyncratic and interesting selection of books, have them displayed in eye-catching ways, be willing (and knowledgeable enough) to talk and interact with the customer, have places and hours where we can be found, and otherwise be a satisfying and enjoyable experience.

Those skills can be developed, even now. After a year or two of absorbing the lessons of the e-readers, I'm feeling more optimistic now than I have in a long time.

Take the Nook out, and you've got another Borders.

Barnes and Noble is thinking of spinning off the Nook.

I'm not sure I understand all the ramifications of this -- but my general sense is that this is an effort to wring value out of the stock. I figure they'll dump all the debts into the Brick and Mortar operation, and take the high-flying Nook division away to make all the money.

In other words, I think they are giving up on physical books.

They'd never say that, of course.

One commentator was mentioning that it defied the selling option of using the bricks and mortars for publicizing the Nook. Maybe I don't understand the "spinning off" part, but why? Why wouldn't they just push even harder? Devote even more space, time, energy, employees to push the Nook? Let the books crash and burn, what do they care? It's all doomed anyway....

What's been happening is that the Barnes and Noble stock hasn't been going anywhere, despite the 'success' of the Nook. So it seems they've decided to extract the value by removing the one part of the operation that has a future.

Whether that's smart or dumb, I do think it spells the end of the Barnes and Noble bookstores. Without the Nook, they are just another version of Borders, right?

Writing for the write reasons.

When you buy, sell, and read as many books as I do, you start to get a sense of the enormous size of the marketplace. Especially if you sell books.

I see hundreds of titles per weekend being touted on the literary sites. I see thousands of books a week being offered by my distributors. And that's just the new stuff.

I don't know how this affects other writers -- I don't know, maybe it inspires them. It certainly would seem to point to the idea there is room for a writer to get published, because plenty of them are getting published. Most you've never heard of. Most you never will hear of.

For me, it's kind of dispiriting. What's the use? I see books on the remainders lists that I've heard of, that were well-reviewed, that I had thought would sell very well. I see books being discounted that have been turned into movies, that got the front page review in the N.Y. Times.

And then it seems like every other person in the door is looking for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, or The Hunger Games. I liked T.G.W.T.D.T. fine, I guess. It was kind of clunky, but I liked how different it was.

But off the top of my head, I can point to dozens of authors who are better.

I very much enjoyed The Hunger Games -- but not to the exclusion of everything else.

Anyway, as I'm trying to pump up my motivation to finish my book, it can be a bit deflating.

I've mentioned before, "writing through the doubt."

Well, there's that.

I'm trying to get back to that feeling I get when I'm writing that it deserves to exist. That there is a story there. The enjoyment part. That is what is going to have to sustain me over the next few months.

The "write" reasons, if you well.