Off The Shelf by Doug Holder

If there was a casting call for a scrappy independent bookstore, Porter Square Books would certainly fit the bill. Located in the Porter Square shopping mall, the bookstore is a successful character actor in the shrinking pool of independent bookstores in the area. Walk through the welcoming doors and your nostrils will be assaulted by the roasting smells of brewing coffee from the Café Zing. In the back of the store you might observe a gaggle of bibliophiles discussing books or participating in a workshop. On any given day you might run into such literary figures as Claire Messud or her partner James Woods. And on more than one occasion I have spotted the actor John Malkovich staring up at the ceiling, floating around the perimeter of the store.

Dale Szczeblowski , the manager of the store, answered the burning questions at the tip of my tongue, in the cramped back room that serves as an office for the store and the café. He assured me the store was doing well, and the lease still has a good amount of time on it with an option to renew.

The store caters to the discerning tastes of the Somerville and Cambridge axis, as well as to customers of all ages. On almost any day you can see a couple of harried parents with a brood of children or an academic with a foundation grant browsing the shelves.

Szczeblowski said the store is different from your garden variety Borders or Barnes and Noble bookstore. He said: “The service is more personal. We meet the needs of the people who buy beyond the brand name books.”

My late uncle Dave Kirschenbaum, the owner of the Carnegie Bookstore in New York City told me that often booksellers know books as a commodity rather than a work of literature. Szczeblowski, told me that he reads a lot “about books” and of course he talks to all of the reps. He also relies on his eclectic and well-read staff, who all have strong opinions of what is worthwhile.

All the staff have interesting backgrounds. The booksellers include a professional gardener, a mountain climber, a small press publisher, and an up and coming poet and critic, to name a few.
The Café Zing is owned by a couple in Cambridge, and the space is leased to them by the store. Rachel, the energetic manager, has extensive experience in the Java biz, and has a knack for hiring qualified college students, and post–grads to man the busy counter.

Porter Square Books is a store that values their customers, so it comes to no surprise that they have a ‚Äú Customer Appreciation Program.‚Äù  Szczeblowski said it is a way for regular customers to build up a kitty for purchase of books.  Szczeblowski  feels it is important to reward loyal customers.

Porter Square Books also has a commitment to the small press and the self-published poet or writer. Jane Jacobs, the Human Resource Manager said, ‚ÄúWe try to serve the community. If a poet or writer lives in the community we try to put them on the shelf.‚Äù  I noticed on the shelf such
local poets as Jasen Sousa, Rebecca Kaiser Gibson, Irene Koronas, Steve Cramer, John Hildebidle, Harris Gardner, Linda Larson, Robert K. Johnson, Marc Widershien and others. Jacobs said that titles from small presses such as Ibbetson Street, J-Rock Publishing, and others are carried by the store.

Ellen Jarrett is in charge of the popular reading series and publicity at the store. Every month top shelf writers are booked to read and sign their new works. In October such writers as Steve Almond, Roland Merullo, Bill Littlefield, will be reading.

In terms of the future the store harbors some pipe- dreams to expand, but they don’t think that will come anytime soon. But the store is making money, serving the community, and that in itself is a very big achievement in the treacherous shoals of the book business.