King's Books
For a city with a focus on the arts you would think books would be a larger part of that focus and growth. Books unceasingly inspire the arts while also being art. The old adage stands true that art begets art. The literary arts are as difficult and often fruitless as any other art form when it’s your profession. I’d wager that a solid 20-30% of the “starving artists'' demographic are writers. It’s not easy to do and in turn it’s not always easy to sell, especially in mid major markets, where independent bookstores are often overlooked for the sake of convenience. It was shocking to search and find that in all my years there has been only one addition to the city able to make it last and that is King’s Books.
It originally opened into 2000 and has been a pillar in the print savvy community for 22 years now. The selection is current and exciting, I happen to stay abreast to some of the upcoming titles via an enthusiastic reader and bookseller Kenny Coble. But their website is up-to-date and their ‘staff picks’ provide plenty of suggestions. The decor and store atmosphere is both friendly, cozy and well labeled. Like any good bookstore there are books and bookshelves everywhere including immediately upon entry into the shop. The cash wrap is often covered in books and employees look more like college students with a deadline crunch than admin sorting and restocking books. Outside of providing reading at both high and low levels they have that natural Tacoma knack for letting others utilize their space. Their spaces host a number of book clubs, meetups, and events when applicable. The most memorable event was one put on by Aramis Johnson with engineering help from Matt “Baloogz” Clark. For a small moment in time Tacoma had its very own ‘Tiny Desk’ inspired experience called ‘I’ll Keep That in Mind’. Maybe there’s a way back to that in the future.
More from Almanac
Make It To The Show: Punx in the Woods Fun-Raiser
Punx in the Woods Fun-Raiser | Saturday, April 22In a world where we sometimes find ourselves dancing around saying what we mean, the Punx in the Woods Festival not only says its idea on its face, but invites you to come on in and make some mayhem in the woods you might not have felt free to do back home. Over the course of Labor Day weekend – Friday through Sunday – all sorts of decibel-testing acts will be letting their freak flags fly in a national forest.If we want to get there, though, we’d better lube the gears of this endeavor by seeing shows like this one, raising funds for Punx in the Woods by featuring some of the Pacific Northwest's best and brightest bands, old and new talent that want to slash and burn their way into the foundation of local rock.
11:11 - Synchronize Sipping
Sandwiches in Tacoma are a big deal, it makes them easy to find but not all them are worth the bread. 1111 is owned by brothers from Tacoma, it’s nestled right in the center of the Hilltop neighborhood on 11th and MLK Blvd. Since 2012, 1111 has been showing their ability to be consistent with the food, service, experience, commitment to serving Tacoma and its inclusiveness. The coolest thing about their menu is how the vegan side mirrors the original versions of the sandwiches. It’s quite the convenience for friend groups that are diverse in diet. There were once pasta options on the menu as well - but zooming in their focus on the sandwiches is not a bad decision.
Umi Wagoner’s Tacoma: Curran Coffee Carries on Tradition
Coffee culture is continuing to grow in Tacoma and it continues to be exciting to have options. Tacoma hasn’t always been a place with variety as a priority; it’s more of an oldie but goodie place. The more of the market place independents take up the less need for chains like Starbucks and far less market potential for them to poach. I’m not saying we don’t need them but more us and less them should always be the goal. Although keeping in mind there may be some Tacomans who own franchises and those should be the ones most frequented. There is a lot of charm and tradition built into our businesses. But as of late (the last 5 years) we are starting to see the rumblings of progress. Slowly more independent coffee experiences are developing throughout Tacoma and that’s bringing Tacomans into neighborhoods they haven’t traditionally frequented. It’s great businesses that often create cross pollination within cities. An area may feel out of the way until you have a reason to go. And Old Town Tacoma hasn’t been injected with something new in a while. Space is a major part of the issue, there’s only room for about 4 businesses on the little strip of N 30th anyway, but it’s prime real estate and holds significant historical value. The space they occupy was once completely owned by the Spar, one side was the Spar cafe while the other catered to the Spar bar. During my early years of college living elsewhere and coming home to the Spar felt like the most authentic part of Tacoma, the Old Town history and proximity to downtown via Schuster Way offered a level of convenience to the Waterfront prior to its developments and my version of nightlife simultaneously.
Make It To The Show: Small Paul 7/14
Someday, there will be proper studies done to explore the effect that a certain global pandemic had on creative processes. Anecdotally, through conversations and interviews over the past few years, I’ve heard artists report everything from a complete inability to create, to others claiming that they’ve never been more productive with their art. For those who were able to avoid writers’ block, though, one thing seems to be a constant: projects that might’ve otherwise never seen the light of day were given the chance to blossom in these times.This is certainly the case with Small Paul, a band that came together in a Seattle basement, formed with members of the Moondoggies, Chris King and the Gutterballs, and All Star Opera, towards the beginning of the pandemic. Rather than reflect any of the anxiety that has permeated the past few years, Small Paul carries with a warm, harmonic twang that recalls the ‘70s intersection of country and rock, a sound both laidback and soulful. Their debut EP, Strangeland, feels at times like a balm to protect against the stressors of the modern world. This is especially felt on album standout “Mexico,” with its vibes of golden hour, of a sun peacefully disappearing behind a horizon, and untold adventures waiting in the future.Small Paul’s debut LP, Come Alive & Live Again, is due to be released at the end of July – hopefully supplying the perfect soundtrack for another summer in the unknown.ALMA RooftopFriday, July 14thSmall Paul, w/ Salt Lick, RestrospecterAll Ages, Doors at 6pm, Show at 7pm, $15Tickets instagram