This week, Riffraff Bookstore and Bar in Providence, R.I., opened a small outdoor version of its bookstore in its building's courtyard. Emma Ramadan, who co-owns the store with Tom Roberge, explained that prior to the pandemic, the courtyard had a few tables where customers could sit outside with their drinks. Now, that's been converted into a mini-bookstore featuring around 100 titles. Ramadan said it's a bit smaller than they would like, as they had to make sure there was enough space for customers to browse while staying distant, but it is the first time in months that customers have been able to browse in-person.
The store is still doing curbside pick-up as well as online and phone orders, and just this week Roberge and Ramadan started offering take-out drink service. Their first day of drink service was Tuesday, and though they were open for only two hours, they served three different groups of customers. This weekend Riffraff will start offering outdoor bar service in the courtyard, which is something Ramadan and Roberge plan to have on weekends going forward. The courtyard is sizable enough, but if things get too crowded they may start a reservation system.
Technically, reported Ramadan, they could reopen their store for browsing, but they have no plans to do so until they feel completely comfortable having people inside again, which may not be until there is a vaccine. Rhode Island is a densely populated state, and while cases are low compared to other parts of the country, people are already acting as if there's no pandemic at all. She added: "We'll always prioritize what feels safe over profit."
On the subject of the ongoing nationwide protests against systemic racism and police brutality, Ramadan said she and Roberge did close the store for a day in order to join one of the protests in Providence, but they have not engaged with any mass demonstrations since. They're actively mixing drinks for customers again, and they are concerned about the possibility of contracting the virus at a protest and then infecting their customers.
They have, however, posted a relevant reading list on their store's website, with 20% of sales from those titles going to various organizations in R.I. that fight racial injustice, and are using their social media platform to promote the work of various activists.
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In Gresham, Ore., Maggie Mae's Kids Bookshop is now open for appointment browsing while still offering curbside pick-up and local delivery. Owner Shoshonna Roberts reported that to help with social distancing, she and her team have removed all seats, including the store's "beloved Wild Things chair," and they've removed the carpet in order to make the new six-foot floor markers easier to see. They moved all plush toys out of reach of children, and everyone in store has to wear a mask and sanitize their hands when they enter.
Roberts went with the appointment system because of her store's size and because of how difficult it would be to social distance with children from more than one family in the store at a time. To help keep young children engaged throughout their visits, there are dog pawprints on the shop floor that they're encouraged to find and count. This way, it's easier for staff to keep their distance and children will hopefully be less inclined to touch merchandise.
When asked about her staff, Roberts said she has not had to cut any hours throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, even after they pivoted to doing online sales. The store's two part-time staff members were able to help with that while working from home, and they are now coming in on alternating schedules.
While the store didn't release any kind of official statement in response to the ongoing protests, Roberts continued, she and her team feel that their actions, including sharing books and resources written by Black authors and raising money for Campaign Zero, have let her community know "where we stand on the issue."