The Diary - September 12
The Diary
September 12, 2026
Last weekend, things were hopping in the Reading Room. The shop hosted the opening reception for Dr. Joe Couri’s exhibit of stunning national park photos on Friday evening. Nearly 50 people crowded into the Reading Room to enjoy refreshments and some light hors d’oeuvres and partake in a photographic journey from the Everglades in Florida to Canyonlands in Utah on up to Glacier National Park on the Canadian border.
On Saturday, the shop screened scenes from the upcoming documentary “The Democrat” about the weekly newspaper in Havana, IL. The film, being shot by Tory Dahlhoff and Skyler Edwards, is really two love stories. One story involves the love the owners, Jim and Carson Harris, have for Havana and Mason City. The other is simply the love Jim and Carson share. The screening drew a crowd of young folks, mostly friends of the filmmakers. The screening was followed by a Q& A session focusing on the Harris’ first two years running the paper.
This week, by contrast, has been slow. Foot traffic on Main Street, even during the lunch hour and on Saturday, dropped off a cliff. Sales lagged. Late in week, I learned that Caterpillar is closing its building at the corner of Adams and Main Street for renovation. I am still trying to gather the facts, but it appears that 1,000 employees will leave downtown for the five years it will take to complete the work. This will eliminate a large potential market for the store.
Matt dropped by the store late in the week. He and his wife own an independent bookstore in Mt. Vernon, Washington. It was fun and reassuring to share notes with him. Their store is in a part of town that does not see a lot of foot traffic. He stressed the importance of hosting events and workshops to draw clients. The store is in its second year, and sales are up over the prior year. I asked about holiday sales. Matt replied that the store does not focus on holiday-themed books or sidelines. However, sales spike at the end of the year simply because folks buy books as Christmas gifts. He also expressed a frustration I share. Chuckling, he told me that when someone leaves the store empty-handed, he feels like saying, “C’mon, you mean to tell me you couldn’t find anything in this store to take home?!” I feel like a failure when a guest visits the store but does not buy a thing. Happily, for the bottom-line and my self-esteem, Matt picked up a book and a box of note cards before he left the Reading Room.