Summer reading is not just for schoolkids. These hot days of August are a great time to sit down on the porch (or in air conditioning if you are lucky) with a cold glass of lemonade and new book. It is just too darn hot to exert much physical energy, but it doesn’t take much mental effort to lose yourself in the pages of fabulous fiction. Whether you find yourself in Elmwood Village or in University Heights, check out Buffalo’s own independant bookstores: Talking Leaves. Below is Joel David Lesses’ article, originally published in the Spring/Summer 2006 issue of Buffalo Rising Magazine. (photo of co-founder Jon Welch in the Main Street store)
Talking Leaves – Three Decades of Opening Minds by Joel David Lesses
In todayis convenience culture, where large parking lots and warehouse-like stores dominate the landscape, it is refreshing to experience the unique combination of comfort and service that an independent business offers. Since its inception, Talking Leaves has been Buffalo’s leading independent bookseller.
Talking Leaves has two locations (Main Street and Elmwood Avenue) and so in a sense two beginnings. In 1975, Talking Leaves prototype Everyoneis Book Coop was organized by Jon Welch with the help of fellow graduate students and other members of the community. The group purchased an existing store, Everymanis Bookstore n founded in 1971, and transformed it into Everyoneis Book Coop. The idea was to grow the bookstore into a cultural center. They held poetry readings, art exhibitions and ran a documentary film series.
This lasted three years. Jon and his group were seeking non-profit status as a cultural center, but the IRS didnit agree, and considered them just a bookstore. Jon and his group changed the name to Talking Leaves and focused on selling strictly books. Buffalois independent bookstore voice was born.
Bookstores are different from other businesses. Books represent something more than just a commodity, Jon believes. It is this perspective that appeals to patrons of Talking Leaves: that books are about ideas, movements and evolution. This can be directly linked to the cultural upheaval of the 1960s and 70s that begat the original Co-op. Jon and the other founders wanted to contribute to these changes, and to enable more. They wanted to give people access to books and worlds they may not have otherwise known.
The success of the original location enabled further growth. In 2001, the Elmwood community approached Talking Leaves with the idea of organizing a second store in conjunction with CaffE Aroma. iPeople who liked what we did wanted us to be everywherei Jon said. Of course, the practicalities of just staying in business and staying true to the mission and purpose of Talking Leaves were enough to manage with one store. Would a second jeopardize the entire enterprise?
Certainly not! Rather, the Elmwood location has been an unqualified success. Talking Leaves has always defined themselves as unique, with an offering unavailable elsewhere. Stocking books that they knew other bookstores didnit carry, (especially books that are literary, political or address alternative ways of living and thinking,) has given them an appeal and an edge very much in tune with the Elmwood Strip. While the two stores are isiblingsi in a sense, they arenit identical itwinsi. Their unique qualities and offerings make each location worth a visit.
To survive and contribute to the literary culture has been the longtime goal of Talking Leaves and that has been the great challenge. iWe donit wake up knowing that we will be around tomorrowi Jon says. A smart attitude, but another 35 years is doubtless in the cards.
iIndependent and Idiosyncratic since 1971i
Talking Leaves Books
www.tleavesbooks.com
3158 Main Street, 716.837.8554
951 Elmwood Avenue, 716.884.9524