Page 17 - Vallejo_Chamber_of_Commerce_Magazine_Winter_2019

Alibi Alibi Bookshop also has a monthly book for a sturdy foundation that promotes its money goes to a small business in Vallejo

club, which is a great opportunity to growth in a healthy direction—which the that then goes back into our community
rather than a major online retailer that is
get involved with the community while bookshop and its events reflect.
making new friends and gaining new
beyond rich (one comes to mind that we
perspectives, among other great things. A bookstore adds to historic downtown’s know too well). Burchard commented, “If
Bookshop “We have had two so far—and they have nostalgia, reminiscent of a time when you buy here, a good portion of that goes
downtown was especially into the community.” Sales tax revenue
full of small businesses helps our city, and “people want Vallejo
and foot traffic. This to get better,” Finlay added, “but a lot of
kind of momentum is people do not know how, and one of the
currently happening all first ways to do that is to shop locally.”
over Vallejo with small
businesses opening up and Buying at Alibi Bookshop is for a great
What it means to support our supporting each other, cause, and it could help set the ball rolling
and with community to seeing more independent bookshops
local bookshop events like the Farmer’s open up. So let’s band together to help
Market and Art Walk independent bookstores make a comeback
(only to name a couple) by shopping at Alibi Bookshop today.
By James Quinn been fantastic, just wonderful,” Finlay that get more people involved and about
said, before telling me about what book town. “The community of merchants is Visit Alibi Bookshop on 624 Marin Street,
e have more exciting news—for those they chose for their first and why: “Our just terrific—we love our customers so Vallejo, or call them at (707) 563-5179,
of you who may not know yet, Vallejo first book was American Gods, and the much, and we already feel like a big part where they will be happy to help and give
now has an independent bookshop reason was because when Shannon asked of the community,” Finlay said. additional information. The bookstore is
Wagain—Alibi Bookshop, named after the us if we wanted to open the bookstore, we
historic Alibi Clock on Georgia Street. Owners [Finlay and her husband] kept thinking
Karen Finlay and her husband Jon Burchard of a line from this book by Neil Gaiman.”
came to Vallejo from Oakland. On June 1, they
officially opened the new shop’s doors at 624 Marin That line is “A town isn’t a town without
Street, the same downtown address where Vallejo a bookstore,” which serves as Alibi
Bookstore was. Bookshop’s sort of motto, reminding us
that a bookstore is a crucial part of a city.
“When the owner, Shannon, asked if we wanted to take over, we said yes,” Gaiman’s quotation continues, saying, “It
Finlay said. While many Vallejoans were saddened to see Vallejo Bookstore may call itself a town, but unless it’s got a
close, it is great news to now have another bookstore in its place. “We bookstore, it knows it’s not foolin’ a soul.”
remodeled it, we got new fixtures, new stock,” Finlay went on to say, “and By doing what bookstores do best—
we are so happy to be here.” fostering creativity, bringing us a book
club, and hosting events—Alibi Bookshop
Alibi Bookshop is a used and new, independent, general-interest bookstore, has already enhanced our community Because Alibi Bookshop serves the open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m.
where its owners are readily available to answer questions and accommodate in less than a year. They will continue community by bringing people together to 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and
you. “We have mostly used books,” Finlay said, “but we can [special] order to have regular book signings, promote at a welcoming, safe haven that promotes Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. During the
any new books and hard-to-find, out-of-print … we also order our favorites literacy to the youth with “Story Time” literacy and keeps it alive by convening Art Walk (second Friday of each month),
and classics in that people would like and that we could recommend.” To make (teachers, tell your students) that is in line both authors and readers of all ages, it they are open until 10 p.m. Follow them
it easier to navigate, the couple divided their shop by genre (e.g. children’s with each month’s theme (Halloween for is already a staple for Vallejo that will online by “liking” their Facebook page:
section, fantasy, non-fiction, etc.). Burchard added that they have “a lot of October, Thanksgiving for November, become an anchor that we do not want facebook.com/alibibookshop.
new releases” as well, which tend to be at the front of the store. holidays for December, and so forth), and to lose.
they have more plans in the works. Finlay James Quinn lives in Vallejo
What I particularly enjoyed seeing—apart from the Halloween decorations said, “We did not want Vallejo to be a Living in an era within a strong digital, and teaches at Elmer Cave
and (from a teacher’s and reader’s bias) all other books—were the books about town without a bookstore.” global marketplace, we have convenience Language Academy. A UC
Vallejo’s rich history on display, such as Mel Orpilla’s Filipinos in Vallejo and at our fingertips where we know we can Davis alumnus in English, he
Brendan Riley’s Lower Georgia Street-California’s Forgotten Barbary Coast, as well Alibi Bookshop takes what it means get books more easily and cheaper— now studies education as part
as Alibi Bookshop’s many community events. to be a town’s bookstore a step further some may even think bookstores are of Touro University’s Master’s
by being, what Burchard describes, “a “old school”—I get it. However, the in Education program. Along
“We have some terrific events coming up,” Finlay said. “We have Mel Orpilla, general interest bookstore,” meaning tradeoff is huge because not only does with teaching, he tutors and
writes often. Email him at
who wrote Filipinos in Vallejo,” which was on Sunday, October 20th as part of that it is receptive to what the people shopping for books online mean losing james.quinn@tu.edu. Visit
celebrating Filipino American History Month. Also in October, they planned of the city want. That idea, including face-to-face interaction, but it also means his website at mrquinnj.
to have another author come in, Ora North, for the release party for her the community, is so great because the supporting a corporate chain. Put simply: weebly.com.
book I Don’t Want to Be an Empath Anymore. “She [North] is kind of witchy community is the heartbeat of Vallejo— if you support the local bookstore—even
and fun, so it’s a really good Halloween thing,” Finlay said. many are from diverse backgrounds, yet if that means paying just a little more—
the city brings them together to make you support our community because that
Discover our community 2019 15