See, when I landed back in St. Paul after two years of rambling, I wanted to become a proprietor of a small business that really mattered and mattered in a particular way. I wanted either a coffeehouse, a tobacco shop, an antiquarian bookstore or an antique store that edged dangerously close to a pawn shop.
When this place came up for sale a few months ago at a good price and with little start up cost involved, I just decided to buy it. I love antiques, old things, relics and junk. Today I closed a deal on all the portable property at a farm in Wisconsin. Here's just a first look at what awaits me when I get a chance to get down there:
It's a wonderful way of life, to deal daily in such objects, and more -- to deal in Memory, Time and Eternity, to work in the 'place' where Space and Time meet, to sit between Song and Silence. This is what it means to be the proprietor of a shop like mine.
And yet, when I saw Into Great Silence the other night with Oskar and Denise, I started wondering if there wasn't somehow more ...
more than I could be doing, perhaps, to enhance people's appreciation of the sacred...
The next day gave birth to the Antiquarian Holiness Temple and Pawnshop Project.
I decided that in buying the antique store I had cut myself off prematurely from the full vision of creating sacred space that had initially led me to consider several different options. So I decided to expand the vision for my corner store.
The antique store on the first floor will continue to be the "front" of the operation. The sign out front reads "Ithilien Antiquities." Bell over the door. Ring, ring. Miscellany. Etc. Swords, scabbards, oil lamps and old handkerchiefs. Me behind the counter. Most people come in, mill around, and leave none the wiser.
But for those who linger in a particular fashion, signalling some appreciation of the scared ...
maybe an erudite young man with glasses who picks a book off the shelf and thumbs through it, running his fingers along the spine ...
maybe an old man who balances one of my estate pipes in his wrinkled hands ...
maybe a small child who chooses a penny whistle rather than a piece of candy out of the basket marked "FREE" on my counter ...
For those folks. Do you have a moment? Let me show you something.
Down in the basement I've lined three walls with oak bookshelves full of great books, old and new, for sale, purchase, or long term loan. I've got an espresso machine down there. Make yourself a drink. There are three large oak tables with brass finished library lamps. A couple of leather couches. Sit down for a while. For the third wall I went out and bought a 61" LCD HDTV and I am currently playing Into Great Silence over and over again.
In the corner is a toy shelf with all kinds of old wooden toys, stuffed animals and plain wooden blocks. Bring your kids. As long as they're the sort of kids who will play with these kinds of toys. If not, you might want to leave them home.
But stay a while. Read a good book. Buy it if you want. Just take it home if you like. Bring it back if you can. Donations always welcome.
Or perhaps you would prefer something upstairs? You may remember that I couldn't figure out what to do with those two extra upstairs rooms? I've turned one into a smoking room. It has a small walk in humidor, leather couches and recliners, a dart board and a cupboard full of brandy and various aged ports. Have a drink. Just one please. Here take a cigar for a friend. The other is another small library but with a hi-fi stereo system. Listen to one of my albums or bring your own next time you come.
One way or the other, you're always welcome at the Antiquarian Holiness Temple and Pawnshop Project. But, shhh ... keep it quiet.
And yet, when I saw Into Great Silence the other night with Oskar and Denise, I started wondering if there wasn't somehow more ...
more than I could be doing, perhaps, to enhance people's appreciation of the sacred...
The next day gave birth to the Antiquarian Holiness Temple and Pawnshop Project.
I decided that in buying the antique store I had cut myself off prematurely from the full vision of creating sacred space that had initially led me to consider several different options. So I decided to expand the vision for my corner store.
The antique store on the first floor will continue to be the "front" of the operation. The sign out front reads "Ithilien Antiquities." Bell over the door. Ring, ring. Miscellany. Etc. Swords, scabbards, oil lamps and old handkerchiefs. Me behind the counter. Most people come in, mill around, and leave none the wiser.
But for those who linger in a particular fashion, signalling some appreciation of the scared ...
maybe an erudite young man with glasses who picks a book off the shelf and thumbs through it, running his fingers along the spine ...
maybe an old man who balances one of my estate pipes in his wrinkled hands ...
maybe a small child who chooses a penny whistle rather than a piece of candy out of the basket marked "FREE" on my counter ...
For those folks. Do you have a moment? Let me show you something.
Down in the basement I've lined three walls with oak bookshelves full of great books, old and new, for sale, purchase, or long term loan. I've got an espresso machine down there. Make yourself a drink. There are three large oak tables with brass finished library lamps. A couple of leather couches. Sit down for a while. For the third wall I went out and bought a 61" LCD HDTV and I am currently playing Into Great Silence over and over again.
In the corner is a toy shelf with all kinds of old wooden toys, stuffed animals and plain wooden blocks. Bring your kids. As long as they're the sort of kids who will play with these kinds of toys. If not, you might want to leave them home.
But stay a while. Read a good book. Buy it if you want. Just take it home if you like. Bring it back if you can. Donations always welcome.
Or perhaps you would prefer something upstairs? You may remember that I couldn't figure out what to do with those two extra upstairs rooms? I've turned one into a smoking room. It has a small walk in humidor, leather couches and recliners, a dart board and a cupboard full of brandy and various aged ports. Have a drink. Just one please. Here take a cigar for a friend. The other is another small library but with a hi-fi stereo system. Listen to one of my albums or bring your own next time you come.
One way or the other, you're always welcome at the Antiquarian Holiness Temple and Pawnshop Project. But, shhh ... keep it quiet.
2 comments:
A blow is about to be struck in the small and shrinking band that you are part of: antiques dealers. Loome's Antiquarian Booksellers in your home state is closing! I stumbled on a creative but sweetly heart-wrenching video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=1YM3GGuduDs
Yes, the downfall of the Loome Antiquated Bookseller empire (or, rather, the retreat back up the hill to the frozen castle that is the locus of their theological booksale) is something of a small tragedy of our time.
Do you know the whole story? I've known the Loome's for some time now. What happened in Stillwater is ... well ... something of a small tragedy of our time.
I think it might also be a metaphor ... but I'm working it out.
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