@levarburton: The Reason I Read

I'm not generally the type to indulge in hero worship. Ever since leaving the church (and realizing there is no god), I've been reluctant to put anyone on a pedestal of any height. But, when it comes to Levar Burton and the impact Reading Rainbow has had on my life, that reluctance all but disappears.

Mr Burton brought cool and sexy to the reading world

As the host of Reading Rainbow, he played a pivotal role in helping me explore my love of literature; as Geordi LaForge, he helped instill a deep passion for Speculative Fiction. And although my dreams of becoming an engineer on the Enterprise were dashed (due to my lack of any engineering talent whatsoever), my need to read has increased exponentially over the years.

Besides my affinity for music (inspired by grade 8 teacher, Sharmini Arulanandam), and the dramatic arts (cultivated by grade 7 teacher, Judy Fathom), very few aspects of my life have been so heavily influenced by one individual.

So, here's to you, Mr Burton. Thank you for encouraging millions of kids (including those of is with ADD) to be anything/go anywhere through reading.

Records, Books & Other Things That Won't Die

Ric's Recollections: The only known record store in Mississauga (257, Lakershore Rd East, Port Credit)

If you were to walk on the south side of Lakeshore Road in east Port Credit, you would eventually come across one of the few record shops left in the world: Ric's Recollections.

Should you decide to step inside Ric's, you'll find yourself taken back to the time before iPods, iTunes and even Napster (do you remember Napster, kids?). It's hard not to lose yourself among the islands of LPs, 45s & CDs (yes, they sell CDs, too, but the majority of their revenue's generated by record sales). And although I don't have access to Ric's numbers, I do know that LP sales for the last couple of years have been decent (some 3.5 million sold world wide in 2011, according to Canadian Business).

Like a used bookshop owner, Ric will never make fortune selling records. But he gets the benefits (and draw backs) of self-employment. He's done well in carving himself a nice little niche, in which he has plenty of room to grow (as evidenced by Recollections' semi-recent expansion into their1,000 sq ft location).

With digital music reigning supreme, a shop like Ric's Recollections shouldn't even exist. Yet, millions of records still sell every year (well, for the past 6 or so years, they have been, any way), because a small group of people prefer the sound and feel of old school vinyl. These are, most likely, the very same people who will keep their local bookshop alive long after the last book is printed. In short, these are my kind of people.

I can only hope #MK4aB will see the modest success that Ric's has -- that it will earn the respect of readers, slowly growing in reputation over the years. It'll be a challenge, but I was never one for the easy road.

Why A Bookshop?

With cyber-prophets hailing the doom of the printed word, and ebooks apparently out-selling their paper predecessors, why on Earth would anyone even think about opening a used bookshop now?

Well, there are 2 things that compel me to launch a physical (as opposed to an online) shop. The first being my compulsion to start my own brick-and-mortar business. And the second, is my need to interact with my fellow literati -- to help them discover authors they've not yet had the chance to encounter.

You'll notice, of course, that I didn't mention my love of reading as a reason to start my own store. Bibliophiles seems to think their passion for reading will somehow overpower their lack of business sense.

A face more than a few bookshop owners wear when they realize someone's actually in the store

In order to deal with the daily shock that comes when someone wants to buy a book -- and yes, it's daily, for I've seen the same owner surprised at my return visits -- they cocoon themselves in a familiar book. To get their attention, you must humbly approach the counter (behind which they are firmly entrenched), and lightly tap said cocoon. Once aroused, they'll answer your inquiry with a one-two word sentence, and point you in the general direction of the book you're looking for.

That will not be the norm at MK4aB (My Kingdom 4 A Book). For one thing, our inaugural location will be a space of no more than 8' x 4" ( Booth # 40 at this year's http://breadandhoney.ca/ ). I won't have a chair -- let alone a counter to shield myself with. No, I will be out in the open, fully accessible to everyone who drops by.

This space is along the lines of what I'm looking for.

And, should all go well at the Bread and Honey Festival, I'll be looking into getting a brick-and-mortar store somewhere in Toronto. Again, no counter will there be -- just a cupboard-sized shop crammed full of literary delights -- and me, standing in the midst of it all.