regisgoat

Guapobear

toadwort

I worked in the art department where one of my managers made girls cry for sport. I finally quit when one of managers made a disgusting anti-semitic comment (I am Jewish) and then claimed not to remember when I filed a formal complaint.

The Basses are monsters. They have pseudo-literary-artsy acquaintances (I do not believe they have friends) and put on a facade of liberalism, when they are the stingiest bunch of cretins in the city. Every horrible story is probably true, I could add dozens.

And yes, they're racist homophobic elitists.

HiredGoons

famousauthor

DalaiMama

WasatchMan

FracturedAcetabulum

"Yes, there are several if not dozens of employees like that (I wasn't). But, I ask, is that any different than anywhere else in retail? Strand employees make very little, and the only benefit is a discount on books. And, let's be honest - for every employee who is lazy or rude there are probably at least two customers who are just as crass, laconic, or downright stupid. That's a street that goes both ways, so don't pretend that it doesn't."

The reason underpaid Strand employees get discounts on books is that there are books for Strand employees to buy in the first place. If the Strand closes, the employee discounts are somewhat useless.

You seem unaware that the Strand has been infamous for employee surliness since the 1970s. It's not something that can be blamed on Nancy Bass Widen's lack of "people skills."

The difference between the Strand and "anywhere else in retail" is that "anywhere else in retail" isn't in as much danger as independent bookstores.

If you talk to folks who shop a lot at Black Oak in Berkeley, for example, they say they're scared by how poorly the store is doing.

But they also say that it's in some ways understandable because Black Oak employees have traditionally enjoyed treating their customers with icy contempt.

Like I said above, amazon.com and abebooks.com are attitude-free experiences.

Hamud Ibn Hamud

wishyoudnevernevermether

Juancho

@Hamud: As someone who worked there for two-and-a-half years, I will say:

A) Yes, there are several if not dozens of employees like that (I wasn't). But, I ask, is that any different than anywhere else in retail? Strand employees make very little, and the only benefit is a discount on books. And, let's be honest - for every employee who is lazy or rude there are probably at least two customers who are just as crass, laconic, or downright stupid. That's a street that goes both ways, so don't pretend that it doesn't.

B) Nancy comes from extreme wealth, and acts like it. When I first started there I went with her and a van driver to a customer's house to stock their library. She saw some overweight people walking around and commented on it, then said, "Why don't they go to a gym?" The driver and I, taken aback, finally said, "Umm ... they can't afford it." She is rude, selfish, uppity, ignorant, and, truth be told, not bright.

C) The racism thing is a touchy issue, but I will say that, the entire time I worked there, roughly 75% of the minorities (mostly African-American or Hispanic) did work on the third floor (internet services) or the fifth or tenth (warehouses) - not on the retail sales floor.

D) I worked in the basement where it smelled like mold and wet dog. Any day you saw fewer than 10 mice was a good one.

Phony Gwynn

belltolls

People can get pretty testy when their vehicle is being shipped, but her unpleasantness and sense of entitlement was pretty unique -- even for a Senator's wife.

jt

BalknChain

Whatever, I'm going to the library's book sale tomorrow so that counts for something.

SmittenKitten

bananappeal

BooWahBabe

FracturedAcetabulum

But seriously, you'd think one of my publishing friends could have hooked me up so I didn't have to pay for it!

Mary Mouse

Just curious: does anyone know what percentage of Strand's profits come from its Taschen sales? I feel like that's it's major draw.

SW-2

lawyergay

SW-2

For example, before closing for good in 2006, Cody's Books in Berkeley had lost $1 million. Wander over today to Black Oak Books and you'll notice that shelves and display tables are hardly packed with books. Anyone care to list the great independent bookstores in Manhattan that have closed during the past several years?

I also think it's wacky that Strand employees portray themselves as models of hard work and customer service. As often as not, at least at the Union Sq location, they're visibly miffed if a customer interrupts them while they're chattering with friends or staring idly into space.

Only last week I called the Union Sq store to make sure they had on their shelves two books I needed. The testy employee who answered my call assured me that yes, they did. Of course when I got there I couldn't find the books and was informed by a bored, laconic employee that they were actually at the Fulton St. annex.

While it's nice to pretend that serious literature has an abiding connection to collectivism and an inherent mistrust of profit, amazon.com and abebooks.com are non-union and don't get snotty when you ask them questions.

If Strand and its staff don't pull together and reach a consensus that profit and customer-service are worthy goals, we might lose one of the finest bookstores in the Tri-State.

Hamud Ibn Hamud

Mary Mouse

PickleTitsTurner

JorgeLuisGorgeous

Pithmaster

xabialonso14

BalknChain

BalknChain

BalknChain

VirusWithShoes

Though I have to question Saundra's authenticity as she (grammatically incorrectly) identifies the rodents as mice in one sentence, then in the next changes them to rats. Which is it Saundra? Maybe that's why the boss yelled at you. Living in New York, I would think one would be able to tell the diff between rats and mice. Sheesh.

FracturedAcetabulum

Nard

EleanorRigby

Ooh that is scary! And you work with books all day?

pantsonfireliarliar

fiveinchtaint

Colonel Mustard

CopyofBlueboy

InternMary

Adminitraitor