Cinema Books Ends 38 year Run, (sob) and We Cash in on the 50 Percent Off Sale.

Normally, I don't post photos on this book review blog, but today I must make an exception for the wonderful Stephanie Ogle, proprietress of Cinema Books, which is in the University District of Seattle, which is about to close after 38 plus years of selling books, cards, posters, stills, figurines, scripts, and calendars all having to do with actors, actresses, Hollywood, movies, plays and TV shows. Jim and I discovered Cinema Books back in 1992-93, about a year after we'd moved to the Phinney Ridge area of Seattle. We would go exploring all over Seattle to find bookstores and noodle houses and places with Godzilla stuff/monster movie stuff for Jim. Once we encountered Stephanie in her tiny bookstore, crammed to the rafters with movie memoribilia and magazines with titles like "Famous Monsters of Filmland" we knew we'd met a kindred spirit. We'd stop by Cinema Books and the late, lamented Scarecrow Video store about three-five times a month, and we'd always leave happy, because Stephanie knew just what we needed to make our collections complete. Once we had Nick, we brought him into the store still in his baby carrier, and Stephanie held him and cooed over him while we shopped. We took him in a couple of years later, but then we moved out to Maple Valley as homeowners back in 2001, and it became more of a hassle to drive all the way into Seattle to get books or magazines. Plus, taking care of a toddler and a home became more of a full time job. Fast forward to today, when, after reading this article last week: http://www.dailyuw.com/news/article_cfa99732-0b3e-11e5-bc3d-dbd5aa2d7fd0.html, Jim and I were determined to go see Stephanie one last time, and stock up on books and Godzilla stuff to support her closing, which is due to all the construction across the street which has kept customers from her door. We came away with $187 worth of great stuff, and we had to laugh when Stephanie caught sight of Nick, now 5'11 inches tall, 220 pounds! Big change from that little baby she remembered! So there she is, between Jim and I, giving us a last hug and wishing us well, as we did her.
Here's a piece on Cinema Books from Shelf Awareness, in which Stephanie references my husband Jim as "a fan crazy about Godzilla movies" :

Seattle's Cinema Books http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz25401905, which "has been a landmark for UW students, faculty, and U-District residents," is closing

after 38 years in business http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz25401906,

due to construction projects across the street, the Daily reported.

Owner Stephanie Ogle said the construction has hindered patrons from

parking locally and visiting the store: "I'm too small to last them

out."

Cinema Books "has attracted filmmakers, cinematographers and film majors

and aficionados alike with its wide array of books and topics. While

some books are specialty out-of-prints, most were published recently,"

the Daily noted.

"I love meeting people, whether they're filmmakers, or making their

first documentary, or a fan who's crazy about Godzilla movies," Ogle

said. "All of those things are really a joy because you have people who

are passionate.... I'm just trying to live through this in the moment.

After that, I'll make plans. But for right now, I'm doing it. I feel sad

about it, but at the same time, I gotta be honest and say it's time to

move on."
Among the wonderful items we bought at Cinema Books today are:

A Benedict Cumberbatch calendar for 50 cents

A Hugh Jackman calendar for 50 cents

John Barrowman's two autobiographies, Anything Goes and I Am What I Am

Benedict Cumberbatch, the Biography by Justin Lewis

Watch Me, a Memoir by Angelica Huston

Hugh Jackman the Biography by Anthony Bunko

Hugh Laurie the Biography by Anthony Bunko

Sir Michael Caine the Biography by William Hall

Stephen Fry in America by Stephen Fry

Torchwood:The Official Magazine Yearbook

Animal Stars by Allen and Linda Anderson

And these were just the items that I chose for myself! Nick got several books, Jim got books, posters, a magazine and the last Godzilla figure that Stephanie had, which she'd kindly saved for him. While in Seattle, since we don't get there too often (traffic was horrible, as usual, so it took us over 90 minutes to get there), we stopped at Mighty O Doughnuts for a dozen of their fine vegan cake doughnuts, which are delicious, and then we swept into Hot Diggety Dog for some Seattle dogs and San Pelegrino Italian soda, which we split three ways. I had a hot dog with sauerkraut, bacon, avocado, tomatoes and a splash of mustard. YUM. Then we decamped for Cinema Books, followed by a shopping spree in Uwajimaya and Kinokuniya Books (wherein lie the wonders of the Japanese pen section, full of delights for pen collectors like myself.) Following that, we stopped at a couple of garage sales and the Maple Valley Library, and finally home, where we are currently basking in air conditioned comfort while eating mochi and reading. All in all, it was a good family outing on a sublimely sunny Seattle day. Though bittersweet, we bid adieu to Stephanie and Cinema Books and say THANK YOU for the memories and memorabilia.