May I Direct You Over To Our Store Blog, Please.

Oh sure, here in the office, this week is easy street: cracking jokes, waiting for chocolate from printers, and drinking all the leftover booze from our office party (above).


Meanwhile, over at the Librairie D+Q, they're in the midst of the busiest week of the year. And I mean, BUSY. By last week, sales for 2011 had already increased by 15% from last year so who know where we will end up by actual years end. A year that was a banner year for them in every shape and form including hosting events with Art Spiegelman, Ben Katchor, Craig Thompson, Miranda July (below), Sheila Heti, Madeline Thien and not to mention D+Q events with Dan, Seth, Kate, Anders, and more.


In the middle of this, they're blogging away their new books and favorite books of the year. And while they're obviously not so team-D+Q in their Best of 2011 lists (note to self to talk to them about this for 2012), I can't help but beam with happiness whenever I read their blog and especially their year end lists, and look at the passion, enthusiasm and professionalism in which they sell and promote literature and art. Thanks Jason, Julia, Fiona, Chantale, Julien and Jade.


When we opened the store 4 years ago, many people thought we were completely nuts for so many reasons, but when you've been a publisher for as long as D+Q, and you visited many amazing bookstores, you can't help to daydream what you would do. Our vision was simple: a store that sold our books (natch), but sold our peers of all stripes including McSweeneys, Fantagraphics, L'Association, New Directions, Cornelius, Coach House, Picture Box, La Pasteque, Vertical, Conundrum, Koyama, Nobrow, Little Otsu, NY Review of Books and more. Kids, young adult and adult books. Prose, poetry, comics, art, how to, and more. A store to host events and workshops. A store where the new Clowes sits right next to the new Eugenides. A store where a staffer picks Joan Didion and Lynda Barry as the best of the year.


Et voila, four years later, we're still here. Merci beaucoup, Montréal! We have the best customers and the best staff in the world! Happy holidays to everyone!

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