As One Story Ends, a Second Story begins They all came down. Each and every one. Many tattered and disintegrating; less in decent shape. Dozens and dozens of bookstore bags collected from around the world and affectionately hung on the walls of Claremont Books & Prints were removed as the new owners of the community bookstore made the quaint, upstairs space their own and brought Second Story Books of Claremont to life. Wanting to retire as bookstore owner to chisel time in his life for other pleasurable book pursuits, Charles “Chic” Goldsmid had been seeking just the right book enthusiast to purchase Claremont Books & Prints and continue the life of the used and rare bookstore. In September, Kyle Hernandez, a 22-year-old music and book lover who frequents Rhino Records in downtown Claremont, happened upon the “If you want to own a bookstore” sign in Mr. Goldsmid’s window, and the realization of his dream was set in motion. At the time, he was employed at the Little Old Bookshop in Whittier, but the thought of owning his own store tantalized the young Covina resident. “I had a good thing going [at the bookshop], but I didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity,” said Mr. Hernandez. “It had always been a dream.” Feeling slightly ridiculous and thinking “there’s no point to this” as he inquired about the bookstore, it soon became apparent that there was indeed a point, a life-changing one: with the help of his mother, co-owner Laura Hernandez, Mr. Hernandez purchased the store, which reopened as Second Story Books of Claremont on November 23. Acquiring the bookstore, Mr. Hernandez wasn’t only following a dream, he was ensuring the survival of what he deemed a necessity. “I think it was necessary. If we weren’t here right now, I don’t think anyone else would be,” remarked Mr. Hernandez, whose fiancé, Stephani McIlwain, is also playing a key role in opening and running Second Story Books. “Claremont and the world need used bookstores. I just can’t imagine a world where everyone shops at Borders or Barnes & Noble or Amazon. It’s just not as fun.” Now a passionate reader and book lover, this was not always so for Mr. Hernandez. Struggling to read as a youngster, his skills increased a thousand-fold when his mother lost her hearing and they began watching television shows with captions. “I accidentally became a speed reader,” he explained. Since that time, books, along with movies and music, became all-important to Mr. Hernandez. His fiancé, who he intends to marry in the store in early 2008, shares the same passions, both of them being particularly drawn to eclectic, off-the-beaten-path shops in Pasadena and elsewhere. “I think this is what bonded us-—books, movies and music. These things matter,” said Ms. McIlwain. “We have both worked for corporate bookstores, drawn there because of our passion for books. We could have been stuck at a regular job, but decided to take this opportunity and create a passion of ours.” Tackling the monumental task of transforming Claremont Books & Prints into Second Story Books, Mr. Hernandez, his mother, his fiancé and Mr. Goldsmid worked as a team. Perhaps an understatement, Mr. Goldsmid commented that closing his store was “a lot of work,” and, slightly sheepish, admitted that he opened a closet that hadn’t been opened for about 8 years. “I found a lot of books I’ve been looking for, but I also found a lot of things I set aside, things that are, in effect, now memorabilia—posters from poetry readings, publicity from when the store opened, very early signs, letters wishing me well when I opened, all kinds of things,” said Mr. Goldsmid, who described the experience as bittersweet. “It didn’t make me feel sad, it made me feel good and wonderful.” (story continues below)
Previously an overflowing menagerie representative of Mr. Goldsmid’s 24 years of inhabiting the store—a “monument to accretion,” as he put it—the physical space of Second Story Books has changed dramatically. ”I think it looks great,” Mr. Goldsmid said. “It’s very different. There’s a lot of ways to have a bookstore, and I thought they did a lot of very smart things, a lot of nice things.” With a goal of creating a better flow inside the store, a rather drastic purging took place—not of many books, but of many things—and, with the addition of a few extra shelves, all books now claim shelf space. Clearing the floors and stripping the walls —previously a cacophonous mosaic of memories, passions and experiences—and making a number of layout changes, the store feels remarkably more spacious. Though the atmosphere and appearance of the bookstore is quite altered, almost all of the used and rare book stock is the same as it was under Mr. Goldsmid’s ownership. But Mr. Hernandez and his fiancé—“not your typical 20-year-olds,” as Ms. McIlwain described herself and her high school sweetheart—are beginning to add their own flair and personality to the mix. In rearranging the store, they established a room of new books, which includes independent comic books, cutting-edge literary magazines and graphic novels—items that can be ordered, but rarely found on a bookstore shelf. Eventually, they hope to sell both mainstream and more obscure, alternative magazines. Incorporating such merchandise into the pre-existing stock reflects not only their personalities, but also their mission to attract a younger crowd. “We want students to know we’re here for them,” Mr. Hernandez said. “We don’t want to change the audience, we want to add to it.” Over time, the new owners and the future partner and bride, Ms. McIlwain, intend to hold in-store events, such as poetry readings and book signings featuring local authors. Already, they have felt great support from Claremont writers, for which they are grateful. And not merely from authors in town, but from the community-at-large as well. Ms. Hernandez spoke of someone from the Folk Music Center “literally jumping for joy” when she learned the bookstore would remain open. “We have felt a great welcome from the community,” said Ms. Hernandez who, due to her hearing limitations, will primarily work behind the scenes, attempting to boost Internet sales, for example. “They say ‘location, location, location,’ and it’s true!” “I feel like this is a real community. Everyone seems glad to have an independent bookstore,” Ms. McIlwain said. “Unlike Borders or Barnes & Noble, where people go and shop whether they care about you or not, they come here because they really want to support an independent bookstore.” As Mr. Hernandez, Ms. Hernandez and Ms. McIlwain continue to invent and evolve the personality and ambience of Second Story Books, their greatest hope is that new people discover the store everyday. And what at first felt like “Chic’s store,” said Ms. Hernandez, “is starting to reflect Kyle and Stephani as a young couple and as individuals.” And how long did it take to reorganize, rearrange and clean Claremont Books & Prints and open the doors of Second Story Books? “It’s hard to gauge how long,” said Mr. Hernandez, “but long enough to make this feel like home.” Second Story Books of Claremont is located at 128 Yale Ave. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Monday. Second Story Books will soon launch a literary journal, and submissions of any writing style are now welcome. Submissions may be brought to the store or emailed to secondstoryclaremont@hotmail.com. Information: 624-0757.—Brenda Bolinger
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December 8, 2007
December 8, 2007