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The Star
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
More purring, more buying? Why bookstores showcase their pets
Wander into Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States and you might miss the tawny cat napping in the window, spine pressed against the sunniest corner of the sill. Venture deeper into the cosy warren of picture and chapter books, and you'll begin to detect a theme, if not a whiff of birdseed. That lazy feline known as Booker T. Jones turns out to be one of many beasts on the premises. Dave is a 27-year-old cockatiel who looks as if he applied too much coral rouge. Mo, a 26-year-old Barbary dove, roosts peacefully in a cage atop the sale shelf. There's also Newbery and Caldecott, a pair of gentle chinchillas; the Stinky Cheese Man, who, like all crested geckos, licks his own eyeballs; and Eartha Kitt, a jet-black Manx who politely recoiled from a visitor's hand while curled, cinnamon bun-style, in a mail bin. The chinchilla brothers Newbery and Caldecott at Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis.(Eric Ruby/The New York Times) And, finally, there are 10 fish in a tank in the bathroom, all named for the children's book illustrators Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris. Their successors will be too, according to bookstore tradition. A menagerie like this has been a hallmark of Wild Rumpus since the store opened in 1992. When the original owner sold the business to four employees in 2024, the critters were part of the deal. A fish tank where a bathroom mirror should be at Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis, July 8, 2025. At shops across the country, some of the most popular sales associates have four legs, twitchy ears and whiskers. (Eric Ruby/The New York Times) 'They're the No.1 draw,' said Anna Hersh, a co-owner and animal care coordinator, who visited the brood daily during pandemic lockdown. 'We get a whole bunch of readers, but people really come to see the animals.' Docile dogs and aloof cats have long been fixtures of independent bookstores, as ubiquitous as free bookmarks. For the most part, they serve as quiet mascots – steadfast and loyal, deigning to have their heads patted or ears scratched while humans tend to the business of words. A cat named Booker T Jones at Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis. (Eric Ruby/The New York Times) Now, thanks to social media, many stores have put themselves on the map with the help of little creatures, including some unlikely stars (bearded dragon, anyone?). The pairing makes sense: books and animals both provide joy, companionship and windows into other worlds. The former are, admittedly, a lot tidier. At Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, Vermont, a Russian desert tortoise named Veruca Salt lords over the children's room from his four-foot tank on the second floor. Claire Benedict and her husband inherited the turtle – previously presumed to be female – from a school librarian. The store hosts an annual birthday party for Veruca, who is around 35, with games, cake and stories. The Tortoise And The Hare is a favourite. Like many bashful creatures, Veruca found his 'voice' on Instagram, where he has more than 2,000 fans. A child pets Eartha Kitt, a jet-black Manx, at Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis. (Eric Ruby/The New York Times) It's hard to say whether animals affect sales but they certainly bring in foot traffic: 'You have people coming in saying, 'I think there's a tortoise here who I follow',' Benedict said. At Scattered Books in New York, three litter-trained bunnies – Moo, Chuck and Chip – have the run of the place when they're not feasting on farmers market lettuce in their triple-decker mansion with a view of the great outdoors. The bunnies have their own basket of pre-chewed books but that doesn't stop them from occasionally sinking their teeth into a mystery or romance. 'The rabbits lend a nice comedic atmosphere,' says Laura Schaefer, the owner of Scattered Books in New York. – VINCENT ALBAN/The New York Times 'We don't have books on the bottom shelves,' said Laura Schaefer, who opened Scattered Books in 2017. 'The rabbits lend a nice comedic atmosphere. They don't make any sounds but they can communicate.' In 2018, Moo climbed up former president Bill Clinton's leg while CBS was interviewing him about his collaboration with James Patterson on The President Is Missing. Meow factor At the Literary Cat Co in Pittsburg, Kansas, readers have the opportunity to adopt a pet while they shop. The store partners with a local rescue organisation, hosting about seven cats at a time, along with three permanent feline 'employees': Hank, the regional manager; Scarlett Toe'Hara, the assistant regional manager (she's polydactyl); and Mike Meowski, the assistant to the assistant regional manager. A cat named Scarlett Toe'Hara at the Literary Cat Co. in Pittsburg, Kan., July 8, 2025. Scarlett Toe'Hara has extra toes, the result of a genetic condition. (David Robert Elliott/The New York Times) Jennifer Mowdy, the store's owner, described each cat's role, personality and origin story with the air of a matriarch ticking off successful grandchildren. Speaking of the upper respiratory illness that cost Mike Meowski an eye, she sounded stoic. He was a kitten; she was there for him. They soldiered through. Mowdy created a glass alcove for allergic customers – and to deter escapees – and a 'kitty conference room' (accessible by cat door) for litter boxes. With regular scooping, four air purifiers and daily mists of Mrs Meyers Room Spray, she said the scent of the store is neutral to positive. Mo, who was named after author Mo Willems, at Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis. – ERIC RUBY/The New York Times In the past year and a half, the Literary Cat Co has facilitated 50 adoptions. 'We've only had one cat that didn't work out,' Mowdy said. 'Too much fight in her.' No barking, no biting Dog lovers, never fear. Plenty of bookstores cater to the canine crowd, including Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, where employees are welcome to bring their best friends to work. The current roster includes Miller, a French bulldog; Barnabus, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel; Winnie, a tiny hound mix; and Nemo, who is half Bichon and half poodle, according to novelist Ann Patchett, who owns the store. Moo and Chip fraternize with young readers at Scattered Books in Chappaqua, N.Y., July 16, 2025. When Moo was born at the store five years ago, the event was covered by a journalism class from a local middle school. (Vincent Alban/The New York Times) Her rules for shop dogs are simple: 'No barking. No biting. You have to like children and be patient, and you can't run out the front door.' Patchett recalled a lively beagle, Eleanor Roosevelt, who bolted out of Parnassus, across five lanes of traffic and into a parking garage before being corralled by an employee. 'Eleanor worked remotely after that,' said Patchett. While cats, birds, rabbits and lizards can be left alone overnight, dogs generally cannot, which makes them slightly more complicated as bookstore pets. But they can be excellent listeners; as Patchett pointed out, beginning readers feel comfortable testing their skills with a dog. Anna Hersh enjoys bringing her Lhasa apso, Penny, to Wild Rumpus, but she's leery of committing to an official shop dog. For now, Hersh is happy with the book-to-animal ratio at her store, and the visitors who enjoy both. Booker T. Jones is an especially good cat to practice 'gentle' on, she said, although Wild Rumpus has a rule that patrons aren't supposed to pick up the pets. Because it's impossible to predict the behaviour of children and animals, Hersh added, 'We obviously have fun Band-Aids.' – ©2025 The New York Times Company
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
105 years ago: Famous Glasgow artist donates oil painting to Greenock (1920)
MR Francis H. Newbery, who retired recently from the Directorship of the Glasgow School of Art, has presented one of his masterly oil paintings to the town. The gift has been accepted by the Corporation, and a suitable position has been given to it in the Council Chambers. Oil painting donated to Greenock by Mr Francis H. Newbery (1920) (Image: Archive) The picture is on a canvas, 40in. by 30in., and is handsomely framed. The title is "Phyllis," and the subject a young girl seated at a window which overlooks a harbour with shipping. The work is vigorously painted, full in colour and possessing excellent tonal qualities. The robust young girl rests on a table, which is placed against the window, through which streams the light. The face and arms are deftly painted with direct brush strokes. The fresh green of the dress and the effect of the light passing across it are excellently expressed. On the table to the right is placed a blue jug filled with homely flowers and trailers of the red-berried bryony. MORE ARCHIVE NEWS: Opera singer returns to Port Glasgow for concert (1975) The old harbour, with its ships, bathed in the light of the noonday sun, seen through the window panes is a masterly technique. Although the subject matter of the picture is of a somewhat commonplace nature, yet the artist by his selective powers, by his expressive technique and his rhythmical sense, has produced a work of art of distinction and beauty. We would venture to give to the picture a significance appropriate to the Town of Greenock. The old harbour and its ships suggest to us the past history of our town. The red-berried bryony seems to symbolise the rapid growth of trade and commerce of recent years, while in the healthy young girl are divined the potentialities of the future. Mr Francis H. Newbery (1920) (Image: Archive) Mr Newbery has produced many notable works of art, and has exhibited in most of the leading galleries at home and abroad. He is an associate of the Royal College of Art and a member of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers. The artist was always, well represented in our local art exhibitions. His "Paisley Shawl," "My Lady Green Sleeves," "The Shepherd's Star," and "The Bo'sun," will be remembered by art lovers. He took a keen interest in the work of our local Art Club, and often addressed its members. His last public lecture previous to his retiral was delivered to the Greenock Philosophical Society. This story first appeared in the Greenock Telegraph on February 13, 1920.
