Feb. 12, 2016
College Life
the Racquette
5
Birchbark Bookshop: Potsdam’s Lost Treasure Ellen Ricks Staff Writer
Nestled a little outside of Potsdam on Aston Road, beyond the hand-painted signs announcing “BOOKS,” lies The Birchbark Bookshop. As if they were entering an old book itself, bibliophiles are greeted by the fragrance of dust and aging prints. Moving further into the softly lit rooms warmed by the woodstove, customers can hear instrumental jazz music playing in the background — low enough that it’s not overwhelming, but loud enough that it draws people into a sense of how they’ve always imagined their own personal library might feel. The Birchbark Bookshop opened in 1990 by owner and founder Tim Strong, a man with kind eyes and an epic beard. Strong started the bookstore after living in Potsdam for a few years with his wife, a former dean of student affairs at SUNY Potsdam. At the time, Strong said he had just graduated from SUNY Binghamton with an MFA in creative writing, and was working on his novel. While writing, Strong’s
bookshop did very well. Starting with 10,000 books, the shop now has grown to have more than 75,000. “It just keeps growing and growing,” Strong said. That many books may seem like an impossible number, but seeing is believing. Birchbark has about nine rooms, filled with a variety of books that will delight any reader. Readers can find something on just about any topic, from fiction to farming, in pre-loved leatherbound editions or almost brandnew paperbacks. The upstairs is dedicated to Children’s and Young Adult literature. There’s even a room with complete collections of anthologies. Strong says that’s not even all the books he has. “I have about two tractor trailers full of books,” he said. The books come from a variety of places, Strong said, most of them being “people’s homes.” The treasures that he finds are amazing. A few examples are a nine-volume set of “Best Loved Classics,” a copy of “The Secret Garden” in a velvet cover, a first
edition of “Breakfast of Champions” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., and an old, leather-bound set of Theodore Roosevelt’s “The Winning of the West,” volumes i–iv. Strong says his own favorites are a couple of color-illustrated children’s books that were kept in wonderful condition. Currently, he is not looking to buy any more books for his store. Birchbark is not strictly for books. Rather, it’s a hodgepodge of knick-knacks to delight anyone. The Children’s section holds three boxes of vinyl, its selection as rich in variety as the store itself. From musicals such as “The King and I” and “The Music Man” to more traditional artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Bryan Adams and, once, an album by Bruce Willis, the offerings span them all. The shop also sells jewelry, small figurines, vintage science fiction magazines and Wild Berry brand incense. Birchbark also supports such small businesses as 3 Cat Crafts by selling their lip balm and soaps at the store. Jay Petrequin, a frequent visitor of the store, says that selling an assortment of goods really
The quaint atmosphere of Birchbark provides book lovers with an experience right up their alley. Jay Petrequin
“adds a lot of character to other things besides just books.” The shop has also been featured on the vlog about books titled “Life As Kat” on YouTube. Vlogger and SUNY Potsdam student Katrina Rink says she visited the shop last semester and dedicated a whole video about it, documenting not only her time there, but the journey to get to the shop. Rink is enthusiastic about the whole enterprise. “Besides the fact that it was incredibly toasty, it was like a wonderland of books,” she says.
“You never know what you are going to find.” The book shop is open 1–6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, as Strong is still working on his novel. He said he just recently finished a collection of poems and is looking into publication. Readers looking for a bibliophile’s paradise need to take a trip down Ashton Road — put it into the GPS, or follow the signs reading, “BOOKS” — and experience the wonder that is Birchbark Books.
Potsdam Community
You are invited to a Gala Event A Special Night of Music Lehman Dining Hall
Thursday, February 25 Music and Performances by The Crane Opera Club Room Decorations & Styling by On The Edge Design Musically Inspired Themed Menus by PACES Lehman will be closed for lunch that day in order to decorate the dining room. Doors open at 4pm, Entertainment starts at 6pm and doors close at 8pm.