Red Room Where the Writers Are

There's a B&N not far from me that I like, but it doesn't have it.  Borders never considered it. Seattle's University Books is a traditional college bookstore, a top one really, a place where you can still buy pencils with lead that doesn't break and peruse great bargain bins, but U-Books doesn't have it either.  I'm talking about funk. 

Seattle used to be loaded with funky bookstores where floors creaked, waterstained ceilings were arranged in a puzzel of hideous colors, musty mezzanines held surprising gems, the clerks had an encyclopidic knowledge of their haphazard inventory, and what the hell is that smell?  The chains and Amazon drove most of them out, but there's still a few.  One of my favorite is one that barely qualifies in funkesque, but you have to give a little lattitude these days.  Third Place Books seems big when you walk in, spacious, not very modern but not quite the way you want funk to be - it's even in a mall for God's sake - but there's a nice restaurant where you go up and give your order to young workers who have time to smile.  The tables are a mix, some look like they were sawed out of a large tree, others probably stamped out in the City Of Industry.  There are a couple small fast food concessions and I forgive them for that because there is a lot of room and they do occupy expensive floorspace.  They have readings constantly, some famous writers, some not so famous like me, but they give us all a shot.  Third Place Books is what funk has evolved into, and I find it acceptable.  I'm just thankful they're there and making it work, and I seldom drive by without stopping, ordering my usual mocha extra hot and checking the tables where the latest writer's books are displayed, the people that will be giving readings that month.  It's a place where you can stretch out, read, wander around, maybe even roll up in a blanket in the corner for a few days and not be bothered. 

Stop by Third Place Books if you're around Lake Forest Park shopping center just north of Seattle.  I think you'll agree that yeah, this works, this place is OK.