Sketched Nov. 25, 2015
On Small Business Saturday, let me tell you about a gem of a store where I could spend hours on a rainy day. Or any day, really.
Magus Books, which opened in 1978, occupies the bottom floor of a vine-wrapped brick building in the U-District, just a block from the Ave. Used-books dealers were common in the neighborhood years ago. Now, Magus is the only one that sells them exclusively, said owner Chris Weimer. The space is a maze of shelves bursting with books, their prices handwritten inside each volume.
The shop stands in contrast to the newest bookstore in the neighborhood. In Amazon’s first-ever retail location, which opened Nov. 3 in University Village, shelves are organized with book covers facing out. Bar code scanners display prices, which match the heavily-discounted prices online.
Old and new ways of shopping. This Thanksgiving week, I was grateful I can experience the best of both worlds in Seattle.