{"id":1449,"date":"2014-11-25T17:10:35","date_gmt":"2014-11-25T17:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.tavbooks.com\/?p=1449"},"modified":"2014-11-25T17:13:34","modified_gmt":"2014-11-25T17:13:34","slug":"top-10-things-we-hear-at-tavistock-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.tavbooks.com\/?p=1449","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Things We Hear at Tavistock Books"},"content":{"rendered":"

With an open shop since 1997 on a main mercantile street in California’s sunny Alameda, we hear some extremely interesting things from the general public who wander in, not quite sure what antiquarian books are all about\u2026 Some of the most popular questions and comments by our shop\u00a0visitors\u00a0are included below. Enjoy!<\/p>\n

1. \u201cDo you sell books here?\u201d [\u2026 No, not nearly often enough.]<\/p>\n

2. \u201cI have this really, really old Bible, like from 1850 or something. Is it worth anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

3. \u201cMy mother left me some old books.\u201d [To which the possibly only sane reply is a very eloquent, \u201cCool. I mean, I\u2019m sorry for your loss.\u201d]<\/p>\n

\""Yes,<\/a>

“Yes. So expensive, in fact, that we make our customers sign a Give-Us-Your-First-Born-Child agreement when they walk in the door, so we are insured if they should break anything. Got a pen?”<\/p><\/div>\n

4. \u201cSo, is like, everything in here really expensive?\u201d<\/p>\n

5. \u201cDo you have any books on mushrooms?\u201d [Only in California, right?]<\/p>\n

6. \u201cYour blinds are always closed & I never see you open. How do you make any money?\u201d [Appropriate-but-probably-should-not say-it response: \u201cIt\u2019s just a front, actually. We\u2019re a drug cartel.\u201d]<\/p>\n

7. \u201cI\u2019m looking for a book. It was red. No, sorry, don\u2019t remember the author or title.\u201d<\/p>\n

8. \u201cDo you buy books?\u201d [I should preface this one with the fact that any who ask this in person walked past a 3 ft. long sign on our front window that says WE BUY BOOKS.]<\/p>\n

9. \u201cI came in here, like, 10 years ago I think. It hasn\u2019t changed at all.\u201d [Umm\u2026 thank you?]<\/p>\n

10. \u201cWow. You have some old books in here.\u201d [Really? We hadn\u2019t noticed.]<\/p>\n

and an extra for good-luck:<\/p>\n

11. \u201cI\u2019ll come back when I have more time to browse.\u201d [If we only had a nickel\u2026]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Strategies for the Antiquarian Bookseller\u00a0to Not Lose One\u2019s Tolerance for Having an Open Shop<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

1. Hire an assistant that you pay to be nice to people who walk in the door, especially the ones that ask questions you personally could not possibly answer without copious amounts of sarcasm.<\/p>\n

OR<\/p>\n

2. Put up the \u201cClosed to the Public\u201d sign when you\u2019ve had all you can take for the day. Even if it is only 9:23 AM, and you started at 9.<\/p>\n

Don’t get us wrong, however, we are very thankful<\/strong> for our walk-in\u00a0customers. If not for their custom, then for the giggles they grant us!<\/p>\n

Happy Thanksgiving!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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