{"id":6686,"date":"2021-02-23T09:57:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T14:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/?p=6686"},"modified":"2021-03-18T12:16:19","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T16:16:19","slug":"the-book-cellar-a-chicago-literary-haven-since-2004","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/2021\/02\/23\/the-book-cellar-a-chicago-literary-haven-since-2004\/","title":{"rendered":"The Book Cellar: A Chicago Literary Haven Since 2004"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Alex Poppe<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When I asked Suzy Takacs, the owner of Lincoln Square\u2019s The Book Cellar, an independent bookstore on Chicago\u2019s northwest side, what TV series would use her space as a recurring location, she didn\u2019t hesitate with her one-word answer: Cheers<\/em>. After sitting down to talk with her, it is easy to see why. In our pre-Covid-19 days, not only did this beloved neighborhood fixture serve up some of the best wines by the glass and small plates in the city to accompany its exceptionally well-curated book collection, but more important, it was a home away from home for many of its clients. In fact, when one customer\u2019s son ran away from home, he ran to The Book Cellar, where his mom waited for him to cool down under the staff\u2019s watchful, caring eye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another regular used The Book Cellar as a refuge when got locked out of his own home. Older clients who have moved out of the neighborhood to enter assisted living facilities have had their children bring them to The Book Cellar when their children came to visit. One long time regular had the unofficial job of turning the OPEN sign on when he came in. But perhaps the biggest testament to the importance of The Book Cellar in the local community is the $40,000 fans donated through a GoFundMe page last April to help The Book Cellar stay afloat while many businesses in the city capsized due to Covid-19. I asked Suzy what her secret was for inspiring such loyalty. She credited hard work, participating in the local chamber of commerce and in schools, and her commitment to the community, but I have another idea. I think the secret weapon is Suzy. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Suzy wants The Book Cellar to convey a \u201chomey, cozy feel.\u201d She accomplishes this by treating people as if they are coming to her home when they come to her store. She explained that the customer\u2019s experience is personal for her, meaning if someone has a bad experience, she takes it personally. Her concern for the personal, Susy\u2019s heart, is why The Book Cellar is a singular space, a gathering place, a place for conversation, and why it has been with us since 2004. No wonder The Book Cellar team dropped a customer\u2019s purchase off to the customer when pick-up hours conflicted with the customer\u2019s work schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suzy\u2019s heart extends to her staff. My mouth fell open when she told me she had been practicing appointment only shopping because her staff didn\u2019t feel comfortable with public browsing when Chicago\u2019s positivity rates were above 9%. I was so impressed that her concern for her staff\u2019s and their families\u2019 well-being is more important to her than making money. That is true leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Book Cellar, 4736 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.bookcellarinc.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Alex Poppe is the author of Girl, World<\/em>, which was named a 35 Over 35 Debut Book Award winner, First Horizon Award finalist, Montaigne Medal finalist, was short-listed for the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize, was awarded an Honorable Mention in General Fiction from the Eric Hoffer Awards and was recommended by the US Review of Books<\/em>. Alex’s novella Duende<\/em> will be published by Regal House Publishing in the summer of 2022.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alex Poppe When I asked Suzy Takacs, the owner of Lincoln Square\u2019s The Book Cellar, an independent bookstore on Chicago\u2019s northwest side, what TV series would use her space as a recurring location, she didn\u2019t hesitate with her one-word answer: Cheers. After sitting down to talk with her, it is easy to see why. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":244,"featured_media":6687,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[80],"tags":[383,283,382],"class_list":{"0":"post-6686","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-book-bound","8":"tag-alex-poppe","9":"tag-bookbound","10":"tag-the-book-cellar","11":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/IMG_20210220_124826237.jpg?fit=1872%2C2291&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9DpGh-1JQ","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7425,"url":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/2021\/05\/05\/shifting-my-perspective-a-conversation-with-sarah-hollenbeck-of-women-and-children-first\/","url_meta":{"origin":6686,"position":0},"title":"Shifting my Perspective: A Conversation with Sarah Hollenbeck of Women and Children First","author":"Alex Poppe","date":"May 5, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Alex Poppe Women and Children First (WCF) is much more than a book store, it is a force for social change. In 2019, after forty years of being open, the store closed for a full day retreat and wrote their mission statement declaring that books are tools, and literature\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book Bound"","block_context":{"text":"Book Bound","link":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/category\/book-bound\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/WCF-40-Year-Photo-Top-Pick-Horizontal-copy_0.jpg?fit=751%2C476&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/WCF-40-Year-Photo-Top-Pick-Horizontal-copy_0.jpg?fit=751%2C476&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/WCF-40-Year-Photo-Top-Pick-Horizontal-copy_0.jpg?fit=751%2C476&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/WCF-40-Year-Photo-Top-Pick-Horizontal-copy_0.jpg?fit=751%2C476&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1208,"url":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/2018\/02\/09\/on-writing-path-to-the-night-sea-by-alicia-gilmore\/","url_meta":{"origin":6686,"position":1},"title":"On Writing ‘Path to the Night Sea’ by Alicia Gilmore","author":"Jaynie","date":"February 9, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I have always loved reading and creating, with words, with paint and pencils, from joining a Creative Writing class as a child \u2013 as an asthmatic and more than a little uncoordinated, team sports were never my forte \u2013 to studying art and then writing at university. Since childhood, when\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Regal Authors"","block_context":{"text":"Regal Authors","link":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/category\/about_regal_house\/regal-authors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Alicia Gilmore, Regal House author","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/alicia.jpg?fit=805%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/alicia.jpg?fit=805%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/alicia.jpg?fit=805%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/alicia.jpg?fit=805%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12650,"url":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/2023\/02\/21\/bookbound-childrens-book-world\/","url_meta":{"origin":6686,"position":2},"title":"BookBound: Children’s Book World","author":"Ona Gritz","date":"February 21, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Ona Gritz In 1989, Hannah Schwartz, a former buyer for the children\u2019s department of The Book House of Suburban Square in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, decided to open a shop that specialized in books for children. Children\u2019s Book World quickly became a vibrant hub and crucial community resource for the children,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book Bound"","block_context":{"text":"Book Bound","link":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/category\/book-bound\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/IMG_0524.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/IMG_0524.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/IMG_0524.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/IMG_0524.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/IMG_0524.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/IMG_0524.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9331,"url":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/2022\/04\/14\/arvida-book-company-a-warm-and-nurturing-community-gathering-spot\/","url_meta":{"origin":6686,"position":3},"title":"Arvida Book Company: A Warm and Nurturing Community Gathering Spot","author":"Candi Sary","date":"April 14, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Candi Sary Arvida Book Company is my local bookstore. Its eclectic d\u00e9cor spans generations of style, pairing unique and edgy artwork with the nostalgic comfort of grandma\u2019s living room. Lantern-like hangings, made of book pages, dangle from the ceiling. Paintings and sculptures by local artists adorn the walls. A\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book Bound"","block_context":{"text":"Book Bound","link":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/category\/book-bound\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_0041.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_0041.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_0041.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_0041.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":774,"url":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/2017\/10\/17\/book-bound-a-celebration-of-independent-bookstores-microcosm-books\/","url_meta":{"origin":6686,"position":4},"title":"Book Bound: A Celebration of Independent Bookstores\u2014Microcosm Publishing","author":"Ruth Feiertag","date":"October 17, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Microcosm Publishing 2752 North Williams Avenue Portland, Oregon 97227 503-232-3666 https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com Visit: 23 May, 2017 Ruth\u2019s Bookstore Safari Part III: Microcosm Publishing\u2014Not Your Mainstream Bookstore (Full videos will be available soon on our imminent Regal House YouTube Channel) Microcosm Links to Topics Mentioned Above: \u201cThe Publishing House of My Dreams\u201d\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book Bound"","block_context":{"text":"Book Bound","link":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/category\/book-bound\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/IMG_6006-169x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4851,"url":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/2020\/03\/23\/karol-hoeffner-the-book-cover-reveal\/","url_meta":{"origin":6686,"position":5},"title":"Karol Hoeffner: The Book Cover Reveal","author":"Karol Hoeffner","date":"March 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Early on a bright January morning, I opened my computer to an email from my Regal House editor announcing that the interior and exterior proofs of my book were attached and ready for viewing.\u00a0 Getting a book published is a little like giving birth. And seeing the cover is like\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fitzroy Books Titles"","block_context":{"text":"Fitzroy Books Titles","link":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/category\/our_titles\/fitzroy-books-titles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_7861.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_7861.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_7861.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_7861.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_7861.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_7861.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6686","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/244"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6686"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6686\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7128,"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6686\/revisions\/7128"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regalhousepublishing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}