Tuesday, December 8, 2009

James Bleeker and the Used Bookstore

James L. Bleeker, clad in plaid, and a smile on his face, greets patrons with a friendly "hello" as they enter into his store, Argos Book Shop.

Argos, located at 1405 Robinson, has been one Grand Rapids main used book vendors since 1975, a 35 year project that James has been a part of since 1986.

"I started working for the previous owner [Ray Walsh] in 1986," Bleeker said. "I was an employee for 20 years, and then bought it in 2006, and have been the owner about four years."

The books that they carry are much older.

"We have 1000's of antique books, some from the 19th and 18th centuries, and we have books from just about any category: religion, sci-fi, history, military," said Bleeker.

The only brand new material in the store are the comic books. Argos receives shipments of new comics every Wednesday from the various publishing houses.

Books don't always move at a predicted speed, and Bleeker revealed that while some books may be sold the same day they're purchased, while others sit, and sit, and sit. He estimated that some of the books in their science fiction section have been there since 1978.

Argos was originally founded by Ray Walsh, who originally started his used book business from his college dorm room at Michigan State, according to Bleeker.

When Walsh grew out of his dorm room, he expanded into a used bookstore in East Lansing called Curious Book Shop. Then, after opening up at least one other used book shop in that region, Walsh brought his business to Grand Rapids.

Bleeker doesn't necessarily have any visions of expansion in the near future. He seems quite content with what he has. And as far as having his main competition right next door, Bleeker doesn't seem phased.

"There's a lot of overlap in used books, and Redux often carries different books than I do," said Bleeker, explaining that the two stores filter business into each other.

Rather than competing over prices for the cheaper set of New York Times' bestsellers, they just send customers on. They're working together in this world of vintage, rather than competing to block each other out.

The Real Page Turners




Another Barnes & Noble has recently opened in the outer suburbs of Grand Rapids, providing new, though generally expensive, copies of the latest bound literature.

Likely to be crowded, and to contain only more of the same, Christmas book shoppers might want to think twice before making the trek out to Kentwood, or, I daresay, Grandville.

The local Rapidian need look no further for unique literary book purchases than Eastown.

Snugly tucked on the corner of Robinson and Lake rest two of Grand Rapids' most prominent used books stores, Argos Book Shop and Redux Books.



Argos, a two room shop at 1405 Robinson, offers a wide array of used and rare books, along with an extensive comic book collection. Boxes upon boxes of comics fill one half of the first room, catering to just about every superhero and series that the owner of the store, James L. Bleeker, can get his hands on. At the edge of the comics is an assortment of children books, followed by fiction and history. The adjacent room holds about everything else, from science fiction to cook books.

Anything not available in the store is capable of being ordered, and the store even has a website equipped with catalogs, news, store hours, and location (www.argosbooks.com).

But if one feels so obliged, she may also consider going next door.

Redux
, antiquarian and used bookstore, located on 1349 Lake Dr., has only been in the used book business for eight years, but it has already gained quite the reputation. Filled, almost literally, to the brim with books, one is able to browse their main floor selection (containing everything from religion to fiction), or venture into their well-stocked basement, containing shelf after shelf of antique magazines, newspapers, and about every other genre of book one can imagine.





Redux also has a website where the non-local (or Christmas shopping, out-of-state parent) can peruse some of the store's selection.

Also notable, though not necessarily in Eastown, Literary Life Bookstore is located to the West on the corner of Wealthy and Eastern. Though not a holder of used books, Literary Life is nothing short of a dependable bookstore. And don't be fooled by its size. What Literary Life lacks in size, it makes up for in personality, and offers monthly in-store events for adults and children alike, as well as coffee and tea for the thirsty shopper. For more information on this charming little shop around the corner, one needs look no further than here.

So whether new or old, vintage or hot off the presses, save some gas and go to Eastown for your book needs. Bound treasures are just down the street.

Respective Photo's












Newsworthy in Eastown...

This week, there is an abundance of attractions to visit in Eastown. With the holiday’s coming up, this hip section of Grand Rapids offers nothing short of a great time.

Billys Lounge, located on Wealthy Street and centrally located in the middle of it all, has their usual Monday night specials. Alongside of this, the rest of the week features live bands from the Grand Rapids area. Bands include Azz Izz, Thirsty Perch, Suport, Nixon, and Scott Baker and the Universal Expressions. Each band has their own unique vibe, and more drink specials are included each night.

The local Hookah Lounge, also centrally located in Wealthy, has upcoming specials including $5 hookah happy hour from 3-7pm, discounted hookahs until 2am, and open mic poetry readings. One of the more popular events coming up is the Bubble Bombs at the lounge; for more information ask a server at the hookah lounge.

For more information about these upcoming events in Eastown, visit their respective websites, or find these two stomping grounds on their myspace and facebook pages.


By Erin Groenewal

Entertaining-Eastown



For students attending college in the Grand Rapids area, for young adults living in the neighborhood, or for families looking to get out and have fun, Eastown, Grand Rapids provides entertainment for all ages. This section of Grand Rapids, with its main street being Wealthy Street and Lake Street, can be both a great nightlife as well as an exciting “daylife”.

For those who are of age, a local bar located at 1437 Wealthy Street SE called
Billy’s Lounge has boasted a good time for many years. Drink specials are featured every night, and Monday’s are especially popular because of open mic hours and $1 off microbrews. These microbrews range from Bells Brewery of Kalamazoo, MI to Sierra Nevada of Chico, CA. Local attendee Michael Kraai who is also a student in the area claims, “Billy’s is one of my favorite things to do on a Monday night. When the long week is just getting started and homework is building up, heading over to Billy’s with a bunch of guys for a couple beers and listening to music takes the stress out of my studies.” To hear music by bands played at Billys, visit their myspace.

If you find yourself under the age of 21, just down the street is the
Hookah Lounge which is located at 1522 Wealthy Street SE. Walk in whenever, pull up some couches with friends, and take advantage of the great food and hookah bar. Boasting to be the first of its kind in Eastown, this lounge attracts college kids from Grand Valley, Aquinas, to Calvin College on a regular basis. Michelle VandenBerg, a local who lives down the street from these two amusements and attends Calvin stated, “For my underage friends, it’s really fun to get a group together on a weekend and go smoke hookah. The flavors are unique, and the music is always pretty good.”

These are just two of the many highlights to visit in this part of the city. Whether looking for a place to sit, have some drinks, and enjoy free music or eat some great food and smoke some flavored tobacco, the sites of Eastown offer plenty of different flavors of entertainment.

By Erin Groenewal

Monday, December 7, 2009

See For Yourself:

front counter at Kava House
front counter at Morningstar 76

magazine rack for Sparrows customers
photo credit: Caroline Higgins


bubble tea at Sparrows
photo credit: Caroline Higgins



Decisions, Decisions: The Right Coffee Shop for You

In Eastown, Grand Rapids, the coffee-drinker has a variety of options as to where he should go for his next cup of joe---with each location offering its own unique services, menu, and atmosphere.

Coffee is a drink with the ability to brighten the atmosphere in a business meeting, accelerate a college students' paper-writing, awaken a drowsy mother driving her children to school, and further the conversation of a nervous couple on their first date.

Coffee is also a business, and the most frequented coffeshops are selling more than their highly caffeinated beverages.

In today’s economy, we are being especially selective about where we purchase our everyday commodities, making the presentation and atmosphere of these shops highly important.

Eastown is unique in that its coffehouses do not consist of chain stores, such as Bigby or Starbucks, but one-of-a-kind locations, of which three tend to stand out in popularity and authenticity.

One option for the coffee-drinker in Eastown is Sparrows Tea, Coffee and Newsstand. Located on 1035 Wealthy Street SE, Sparrows keeps hours that are conducive to the studying college student, brewing a variety of lattes and espressos, as well as the unique Taiwanese bubble tea, until midnight Monday through Thursday. Sparrows also provides its visitors with an array of magazines, intended to especially spark the interest of an aspiring artist or creative thinker.

Kava House, located at 1445 Lake Drive SE, offers more food options and a larger seating area, including a closed off room for those who prefer to smoke, and an outdoor patio. Students should be warned that WiFi service is erratic, and that the shop closes at ten o’clock on weeknights.

Morningstar 76, located at 1057 Wealthy St SE, is open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Morningstar allows smoking, and hazy air hangs over the typically young crowd that visits this shop. The shop is home to a variety of very affordable drinks as well as friendly servers and a distinct atmosphere.

Choose one favorite, or continue to visit all three: the choice is yours.
by Caroline Higgins