Congratulations to Oblong Books & Music, whose Rhinebeck, N.Y., store is 20 years old. Oblong, which also has a store in Millerton, N.Y., that was founded in 1975, will likely hold a celebration in October.
As Dick Hermans, who owns Oblong with his daughter, Suzanna, recalled in part in a letter to customers and friends, "We had our eye on opening a store in Rhinebeck for about 20 years. Rhinebeck is the jewel of northern Dutchess County, about 100 miles north of Manhattan. Our Millerton store was doing well enough to support the expansion, though my partner of 25 years was retiring from the business and made that final on the day I signed a lease for a Rhinebeck store.
"Opening right after 9/11 certainly put a damper on celebrating. The best we could do was organize a 'fill the space with words' event soon after featuring some of our notable Millerton clientele, including actors Edward Herrmann and Jill Clayburgh. Their thoughtful presentations made us cry and anointed our store with wisdom and emotion.
"Twenty years on, our 'new' store continues to grow and build on a connection with our community that every bookstore depends upon.
"In 1975, I could not have imagined the arc that Oblong Books has traveled over these years. Thank you to everyone who has stepped over our threshold, to every author whose books we have sold, and to every person who has worked for us. It has been a wonderful ride for me and I am happily still deeply involved in the mystic process that makes small business successful.
"The journey of discovery continues...."