and a bookstore, for yr info, IS an essential business
Thu 2014-09-04 23:52:18 (in context)
Today's fascinating post-Katrina research question of the day: Would the Barnes and Noble in Metairie (at Vets and Causeway) have been open in November 2005?
Answer: It would not.
Citation: "Small Businesses Play Big Role in Post-Katrina New Orleans Recovery," Andrea L. Dono, September 28, 2009.
Among the various business owners who understand their role in reviving New Orleans' neighborhoods are Judith Lafitte and Tom Lowenburg, owners of Octavia Books. They found a way to return to their shop, housed in a century-old former streetcar stable, and open six weeks after the hurricane so they could send a signal of hope to the city and offer a place where people could gather. Barnes & Noble, on the other hand, opened six months later.
The article in turn cites an excerpt from The Mom & Pop Store: How the Unsung Heroes of the American Economy Are Surviving and Thriving, by Robert Spector, that tells the story of the founding of Octavia Books and its post-Katrina re-opening. This quote from the book, here, made me happy in a teary kind of way:
"We put together some makeshift signs around the neighborhood saying that we were now open, and I sent an e-mail to those on my customer list," said Tom. "People from all across the country were reading it. I got responses from people telling me their stories. The idea that a paradise for them would be here when they got back made a huge difference in their outlook. I got more response from that e-mail than from any I ever sent out. It was the warmest, most supportive, heartbreaking, thrilling response you could possibly imagine."
Unfortunately, my characters aren't going to make their way Uptown to visit Octavia Books, at least not during the events of my story. I, on the other hand, hope to pay them a visit before the year is over.
Now. What about today's fascinating scheduling lesson of the day? Well, it's this: If I allot myself only one hour for my content writing gig, but I end up taking more than two hours at it instead, some other scheduled writing task is going to have to pay the price. So much for my plans to get tomorrow's edition of the Friday Fictionettes ready to go today. Which takes a bit of the triumph out of clicking the "Five hours of writing" daily on HabitRPG, let me tell you.
Well. I'm not going to let my deadlines slide this early in game. I'll make sure to get it done first thing tomorrow. While I wait for my car in the shop again, because even after a coolant system inspection and flush, we're still having overheating and low fluid issues again today. Joy.