cover image Minding the Store: A Big Story About a Small Business

Minding the Store: A Big Story About a Small Business

Julie Gaines and Ben Lenovitz. Algonquin, $21.95 (176p) ISBN 978-1-61620-662-8

Equally a business and family story, this cheerful history opens in the mid-1980s, when Gaines, a recent art college grad, hits it off with store clerk Dave Lenovitz when she stops at a small shop to buy glassware in Lower Manhattan. They both daydream of becoming their own bosses, and serendipitously, they discover a tiny space for rent near Gramercy Park. Together, they open a quirky vintage shop that would become the New York City housewares institution Fishs Eddy (with an ease that seems fairy tale–like when viewed from the contemporary N.Y.C. real estate market). Their stock—mainly vintage paintings, chairs, cabinets and glassware—comes from flea markets. After unearthing a treasure trove of old dinner sets in the basements of local restaurant supply stores, the pair focus on stocking the patterned dishware that becomes the store’s trademark. As Fishs Eddy grows, the couple deal with the challenges of expanding locations and staff, balancing childcare with retail commitments, the tragedy of 9/11, and a family health crisis. Drawn by the founders’ son in a naive crayon line, the art feels unfinished, but also intimate. Avoiding the trap of coming off as an extended advertisement, this tribute pulls off an engaging narrative on the ups and downs of following dreams. [em](Oct.) [/em]