Good article Paul. Thanks.
Two things you don't mention which are well worth pointing out. First, RTP has a very skilled book buying staff - they make the most of their limited space by having really well selected fiction, art, history, poetry and travel sections, plus a remarkably well stocked children's section.

And second, they take the unusual step of placing new and used copies of books together on the same shelves, which is just awesome. I went in the other day looking for a specific book, and found a 4 dollar copy right next to the 15 dollar copy. RTP seems to recognize some of us are on a budget, and that buying the cheaper copy means that I have 11 bucks "left over" for another buy. It's a SMART strategy and more bookstores should use it.

The sadness of hearing about the loss of one of the PNW's best book reps, Seira Wilson, reverberates all the way to Bangkok. The joy of knowing that Michael Coy still graces the bookstore community echoes here as well. Thank you, Paul, for a fine piece of journalism and a small fragment of Seattle in this other side of the world.

I love the multipurpose space idea. And the "third place" concept in general. I'm glad to hear that RTP is perfecting the concept. I always liked their shop.

I grew up five blocks away from the LFP Third Place. I remember when it was still a crappy strip mall with a carousel and a molestery mall-Santa (for reals, look it up).

TPB moved in just before I reached my teens. I hung out there with my girlfriends, watched my brother play music and read poetry on the stage for the high school open mic night, had dinner with my folks in the common area and loved it. I also met briefly both Dave Barry AND Ralph Nader, got their respective books signed, and have seen some pretty amazing people and events (Hillary Clinton! Jesse Ventura!) It always amazed me that people of such high import would come to our pointless little afterthought of a town so far up North.

I heart TPB.

"as far away as Bellingham" .... ha ha ha!!

ok, had to make a little fun...

all in all, H*LL YES!!!
i've seen the entire renovation first hand, AND IT IS THE JAM!!!

there is NO question, just walking into Third Place is a VERY PLEASANT EXPERIENCE.
at a time when many BUSINESSES ARE AFRAID OF THEIR OWN SHADOW, RTPB's made some VERY POSITIVE changes. i liked it before, and now it GLOWS, an example of someone TAKING A RISK in a community, and coming out the SHINING STAR. This stretch of 65th has many businesses, and is striving to get the "MAIN STREET" identity that Seattle's premier locations are "given" (earned or not). RTPB's stance and investment that "IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN" is BOLD and VISIONARY.

WAY TO INVEST IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!!! WAY TO LEAD THE PACK!!!!

p.s. the main challenges are:
1) DESTINATION: there are not enough "DESTINATION" businesses to draw any appreciable cross-shopping crowd to Ravenna on a weekend night. or anytime, really. there are some SOLID businesses, but weekends, you can hear the proverbial crickets chirp. (understand, this is a reason many people have moved here...the eternal "edge of town") affordable, but quick drive to "activity" (work, recreation). and "some" nightlife, tho quiet (like they like it up here....).

2) COMMUTER/BEDROOM COMMUNITY: 65th Street is currently a small-but-huge thoroughfare, important to many commuters for quick access to I5 and 520, and NOT a pedestrian friendly "main street", making it difficult FOR BUSINESSES to turn it into that oh-so-desirable "DESTINATION" a la (broadway, cap hil: 45th, wallingford: the ave, u-dist: market: ballard, etc, etc). Let's be real, there's still an old folks home at 65th and 25th... (why aren't there more businesses for them???).

ok there, i solved it for you...

THAT SAID, there are some AMAZING pioneers of business in Ravenna who will get squeezed out by the likes of RTPB's, an admirable and honorable transition, if you ask me, especially if it does ever "take off" but it's a cycle, right?, and I hope the originals get paid in full...

you're welcome for the beginning of the solution, call me when you're ready...

i fully support CULTURALLY VALUABLE AND INTERESTING BUSINESS GROWTH in Ravenna (e.g. walgreens stay away, chevron is good enough a corporate neighbor...)

dj no dj
Ravenna resident through and though
see you at Muddy Waters...

I, too, wish that 65th was a little more pedestrian-friendly, but I would hate for our "downtown" to become a destination spot. I believe it's totally possible and good for business to stay small and hyper-local.

I did indeed move here to the "suburbs" for the small town feel, the parks, and the walkability. If things do change on 65th in the future, I sincerely hope it's in the direction that RTPB has taken. I really don't think we need and boutiques full of shiny trinkets and such, do we? A yarn shop and a card store -- since RTPB stopped selling them, Poo! -- would make me happy, anyways.

RTPB has not stopped selling cards. I asked this same question when I was in there on Friday. One of the workers told me that they were getting rid of old stock to make room for newer stock! So, they will have more cards than before!!!!
Yeah!

More cards! Yay! Thanks for investigating, Miersha.

MICHAEL COY IS AMAZING!!!

Great writing Paul....

oh ya... there'as our darling valentine getting trashed in the finacial times.... today's batpole... same cat page same cat fashion....

more on the ride later...