Left Bank Books (St. Louis)

Left Bank Books is an independent bookstore located at 399 N. Euclid Street in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. It is the oldest, independently operated bookstore in St. Louis. It was founded by students in 1969 as a leftist collective to sell underground, counter-cultural, feminist, and anti-establishment books, newspapers, and magazines—-the first to do so in the St. Louis region. It was the first bookstore with its name in the United States, and the first exhibiting gallery for children's book illustrator Mary Engelbreit. Left Bank Books sponsors reading groups, book signings, author appearances, and community literary activities. In 2015 the Washington Post named it one of the best bookstores in the United States and in 2017 Real Simple magazine has called Left Bank Books the best bookstore in the state of Missouri.

Left Bank Books
IndustrySpecialty retail
Founded1969 (1969)
FounderKris Kleindienst (and others)
Headquarters
St. Louis, Missouri
,
United States
Number of locations
1 store
Area served
St. Louis metropolitan area
ProductsNew, used, and rare books
OwnersKris Kleindienst & Jarek Steele
Number of employees
about 20
Websitehttp://www.left-bank.com/

History and Description

Left Bank Books was founded by a group Washington University graduate students in July 1969. It was run as a leftist collective to provide alternative literature and protest the Vietnam War. At the time, the store was one of the only places to purchase leftist, feminist, alternative, and counter-culture publications and writings in the Midwest. The store carried (then controversial) publications such as Rolling Stone magazine. The store developed one of the first Feminist/Women’s Studies and Gay and lesbian studies book sections in the area.[1][2][3]

The store’s original location was on Skinker Blvd., then it relocated to Delmar Blvd. in The Delmar Loop, near Washington University. In 1977, the store moved to 399 N. Euclid Street in the Central West End neighborhood. From December 2008 to May 2014 Left Bank Books operated a second store at 321 North 10th Street in St. Louis.[4][5] In 1994 Left Bank Books opened a coffee shop next to the Central West End store.[6] In 1998, Left Bank Books was a plaintiff in an antitrust lawsuit by the American Bookseller Association against national chain bookstores Borders and Barnes & Noble. The lawsuit alleged the large chains were using their market power to obtain special deals from book publishers (including publisher discounts, selective payment terms, and special book return arrangements) that were unavailable to small booksellers.[7][8] The lawsuit was settled in 2001 for $4.7 million.[9]

Over its history, Left Bank Books has been home to several cats. The first was Captain Nemo, who was rescued from drowning and nursed back to health by the store owners. After his death, the store became home to Jamaica, named by customers after author Jamaica Kincaid. Jamaica (the cat) died in April 2005. She was succeeded by current bookstore resident, Spike.[10] Spike is mentioned in Emily Giffin’s book Where We Belong.[11] In 2012, Spike was named "Bookstore Cat of the Year" at Book Expo America.[12] In that same year, the website Mental Floss named Spike one of "10 Excellent Bookstore Cats."[13]

Activities and Events

Author book signings

Left Bank Books currently presents 250 author events a year. Hosted authors have included U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, feminist writer and activist Gloria Steinem, humorist David Sedaris, poet Allen Ginsberg, author Toni Morrison, chef Rick Bayless, poet Anne Lamott, poet William Gass, sci-fi author Ann Leckie, graphic artist Alison Bechdel, and writer-activist Sarah Schulman.[14] In 1999, the store refused to host former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger for a book signing due to his role in the Vietnam War.[15][16]

For many years, Left Bank Books maintained an art gallery in the lower level of its Euclid Street location that exhibited artists before they were more widely recognized. The gallery mounted eight-to-nine exhibits per year. Many of the exhibited artists created works, announcements, and posters naming Left Bank Books.[1]

Left Bank Books was the first and, for a time, exclusive exhibiting gallery of work by book, poster, and greeting card-illustrator Mary Engelbreit.[17] Engelbreit hand drew announcements and invitations for her exhibits, as well as other advertising and promotional material for the store.[18] She also painted small chairs in her designs for the store’s children’s book section. Engelbreit’s well-known 1985 illustration A Book is a Present You Can Open Again and Again was originally created as a poster to advertise Left Bank Books. The store's name and address appeared on the original design, but this information was often removed in subsequent reproductions.[19]

Collage announcing John Rozelle exhibition at Left Bank Books (1980)

The painter and collagist John Rozelle exhibited work at Left Bank Books in 1980. The artist created an announcement for his show at the store. Rozelle went on to teach at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.[20]

Painter Carol Carter, photographer Michael Eastman, painter Nancy Exarhu, and illustrator Joan Bugnitz have also exhibited at Left Bank Books.

Other activities

Left Bank Books regularly sponsors community literary activities. The store currently hosts several reading groups devoted to various subjects and genres of literature.

The Left Bank Books River City Readers Program connects financial donors to children in St. Louis Public Schools. The program's goals are to increase literacy and promote a love of reading among children in St. Louis area schools. Students in the program receive a free new book every other month and meet with authors throughout the school year.[21]

In 2011, Left Bank Books helped launch the St. Louis Independent Bookstore Alliance.[22] The Alliance helps raise awareness of independent bookstores in the St. Louis area and their contributions to the local community.

In 2014, after the shooting of Michael Brown in nearby Ferguson, Missouri, Left Bank Books launched Ferguson Reads, a monthly reading group discussing literary and historical works on race and the black Civil Rights Movement.[23] The store compiled the #BlackLivesMatter reading list, which included books such as Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time, and Jesmyn Ward’s Men We Reaped.[24][25][26] The store's Black Lives Matter window display was the subject of a customer complaint that lead to an article in Huffington Post.[27][28] In 2015, Left Bank Books established Mixed Messages Press, to publish literary fiction and other writing.[29] In November 2014, Mixed Messages Press published A Wedding Song for Poorer People by Alfred DePew.

In 2017, Left Bank Books launched Bookfest St. Louis, a week long book festival centered on the Central West End neighborhood.[30][31] 2017 presenting authors included Sherman Alexie, Amy Stewart, and Ann Leckie.[31]

Left Bank Books Foundation

The non-profit Left Bank Books Foundation was formed in 2008 by a collection of current and former owners and other community members.[30] The Foundation receives the majority of its funding from small individual donations to the Friends of Left Bank Books. The Foundation sponsors literary events and also works with St. Louis Public School children through the store's River City Readers Program. The project provides copies of children's books to area students and arranges author visits to schools.

Recognition

Left Bank Books is frequently recognized for its contributions to the Central West End neighborhood, its wider community activities, and promotion of regional literary culture. In 2003, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen passed a resolution recognizing Left Bank Books “more than 30 years of commitment and service to the City of St. Louis.”[32]

The store is often listed among the best new and used bookstores by local, regional, and national media and organizations. For many years the store has been voted by readers and editors of the local RiverFront Times in the categories best bookstore, best used bookstore, and best bookstore chain (when it had multiple locations).[33] In 2015 the store was shortlisted for both the Publishers Weekly Bookstore of the Year Award and the WNBA Pannell Award.[34][35][36] In 2017, Real Simple magazine named Left Bank Books the “best bookstore” in Missouri.[37] Huffington Post has also recognized it as one of the “50 Best Independent Bookstores in America.”[38]

The store's significance in the history of the St. Louis LGBTQ community was recognized by its inclusion of its second (Delmar Blvd.) location in Washington University library's Mapping LGBTQ St. Louis project in 2017.[2]

Literary mentions

Left Bank Books is mentioned in the Kyle Beach novel The Slide.[39] It was also the subject of a short story by Guggenheim Fellow Kathleen Finneran in the anthology My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read and Shop [40] Left Bank Books was mentioned in the blog of graphic artist Alison Bechdel, creator of the long-running comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For and bestselling graphic novel Fun Home.[41] The store is also mentioned in Emily Giffin's 2012 novel Where We Belong: A Novel.[12]

References
  1. Scott Shackford, “Words of Wisdom,” The Montage 31/8 (23 Jan 1994): 6-7.
  2. http://wustl.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=d650dce414924b07b35a591d1202a6b5
  3. http://alivemag.com/left-bank-books-celebrates-45th-birthday/
  4. Liz Button, “A Most Successful year for Left Bank Books” Bookselling this Week (14 May 2015)
  5. Barker, Jacob. "Left Bank Books to close downtown store". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  6. Neal Lerner, "Book Store Adds Coffee to Contents,” Central West End Journal (24 Nov 1994): 1A-2A.
  7. Gina Covina, “Battle of the Booksellers: Indies Take Chains to Court,” Express (3 April 1998)
  8. Patricia Holt, “Book Brawl: Independent Bookstores, the Internet, Chain Stores, and Discount House Duke It Out,” Whole Earth (1999): 64-67.
  9. "Booksellers Settle Lawsuit Against Chains". ilsr.org. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  10. "About Us". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  11. http://booksandwhatnot.com/marginalia/meet-spike-from-left-bank-books/
  12. "Left Bank Book's Cat Given Top Honors". 31 July 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  13. "10 Excellent Bookstore Cats". 7 February 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  14. Deb Peterson, “With a wide smile and an easy laugh, Sen. Clinton makes a big impression,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch (12 Aug. 2003).
  15. Jane Henderson. "Next chapter After three decades of keeping ideals alive through a bookstore, Left Bank Books co-owner Barry Leibman decides to try something new". St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Jan. 3 2010). Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  16. Silva, Eddie. "Left Hooked". Riverfront Times. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  17. Robert Duffy, “An Infectious Joy and Wit,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch (7 Dec 1995); “Engelbreit Show,” The Paper 12/6(Dec 1981): 3.
  18. http://www.ksdk.com/article/entertainment/television/show-me-st-louis/mary-engelbreits-rarely-seen-early-work-is-now-on-display/474013005
  19. Mom, Xena's (29 December 2015). "Librarian's Quest: Seasons Readings-A Trio Of Treats". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  20. "John Rozelle - NNamdi Contemporary Miami". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  21. "River City Readers Transports St. Louis Students". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  22. "About Us – St. Louis Independent Bookstore Alliance". stlindiebook.org. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  23. Liz Button, “A Most Successful year for Left Bank Books,” Bookselling this Week (14 May 2015) http://www.bookweb.org/news/most-successful-year-left-bank-books
  24. Sydney Jarrard, “Left Bank Books Facilitates Community Dialogue with #FergusonReads,” Bookselling this Week (17 Sept. 2014).
  25. Mumford, Tracy. "The Black Lives Matter reading list: Books to change the world". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  26. "St. Louis bookstore offers context for what's happening in Ferguson - All Digitocracy". alldigitocracy.org. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  27. Steele, Jarek (13 August 2015). "To the Angry Shopper Who Criticized Our Black Lives Matter Display". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  28. Henderson, Jane. "Left Bank Books loses customer over Black Lives Matter signs". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  29. "Mixed Messages Press". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  30. "CWE North Business Community Improvement District & Left Bank Books Foundation present BookFest St. Louis – Nicki's Central West End Guide". www.nickiscentralwestendguide.com. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  31. Semko, Elizabeth. "Left Bank Books to Launch 'BookFest St. Louis' This September". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  32. "Resolutions". stlouis-mo.gov. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  33. "Best of St. Louis 2017: This Is 40". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  34. Charles, Ron (3 March 2015). "What's the best bookstore in the country?". Retrieved 12 January 2018 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  35. "Left Bank Books shortlisted for Publishers Weekly Bookstore of the Year - Walrus Publishing, Inc". 26 April 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  36. Liz Button, “A Most Successful year for Left Bank Books” Bookselling this Week (14 May 2015).
  37. "The Best Bookstore in Every State". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  38. Brooks, Katherine (28 April 2017). "50 Of The Best Indie Bookstores In America". Retrieved 12 January 2018 – via Huff Post.
  39. Ben Westhof, “St. Louis Serenade,” RiverFront Times 33/6 (5-11 Feb 2009): 13-16.
  40. "My Bookstore". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  41. "dykestowatchoutfor.com » Blog Archive » Left Bank Books, St. Louis". dykestowatchoutfor.com. Retrieved 12 January 2018.

Further reading

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