As some of you may know, my good friends at Borderlands Books in San Francisco are working on opening a cafe next to their store. In order to do so they need to get planning permission, which is not always a straightforward proposition, city bureaucracies being what they are. So the application needs support. There’s a petition in the store that you can sign, but if you can’t get into San Francisco (and I know that Borderlands has fans all around the world) then you can help out by adding a comment below. And by directing your friends here. So…
We, the undersigned, enjoy visiting Borderlands Books when we are in San Francisco, and would be delighted if they had a cafe adjacent to the store. A cafe would enable the store to enhance its already excellent events program, and cement its reputation as one of the world’s premier independent specialist bookstores.
Cheryl Morgan – Fremont, CA & Somerset, UK
Update: The planning permission hearing is today (June 26th) so I’m closing off comments. I’ll let you know how it goes as soon as I hear from Alan.
Good idea — books, coffee, what’s not to like?
I live in Mountain View and try to visit Borderlands every time I get up to the city, and a cafe next door would be a huge convenience.
James Minz, Princeton, NJ
Holly Black – Amherst, MA
I haven’t been to SF in several years, but if Borderlands had a cafe, I’m sure I’d be inclined to come more often.
Joe Ardent
San Francisco, CA
Zachary Weinberg
San Diego, CA
I used to visit Borderlands Books frequently when I lived in San Francisco, and a cafe next door would definitely be a plus for the neighborhood.
For years, the Colophon Cafe in Bellingham was a cafe/bookstore. It was so successful that they had to move the bookstore down the block to a bigger space. I used to make a trip of 90 minutes several times a year just to go there.
A cafe/bookstore is a destination.
Adam Golaski
Hartford, CT
Phil Maloney
Boulder, CO
Ekaterina Sedia
Hammonton, NJ
Justin Dack – Medford, OR
John Kusters – San Jose, CA
Chesya Burke
Jonesboro, GA
Tim Pratt
Oakland CA
Jeff VanderMeer
Tallahassee, FL
Coffee and books, two of life’s necessities.
I´m planning to visit San Francisco in 2009. I´m DEFINITELY going to Borderlands, and, being a good average Brazilian, I´m also a coffee junkie, so I´m all for it.
Northampton, MA
It has been a few years since I have been to San Francisco, but I know at least one stop I have to make when I go. Based on previous visits, I recommend this store constantly to friends who live and visit the Bay area.
Long Island, NY. Looking forward to visiting Borderlands on my next trip to SF…and very much hoping that’s WITH a cafe.