As someone who was raised in the American South, it grates on me that we can’t open our storefront for visitors. We’re a hospitable people (even if Megan and I are natural hermits).
During the first few years we had the storefront, we welcomed visitors, and things got out of hand. Some visitors came to spend an entire day (or two days…). Others were dropped off by loved ones for the day, and we were expected to babysit them. Still others tried to schedule their days here for a visit – one even asked if he could park his RV outside and use our utilities and facilities.
Listen beautiful relax classics on our Youtube channel.
All this while Megan, Brendan and I were trying to make a living making furniture, tools and books.
So you can see the problem. We would like to welcome people here, but we can’t be a visitor’s bureau, daycare center or ersatz training facility.
For 2022, we’d like to try an experiment. If you are passing through Northern Kentucky and would like to stop by, please do. If we are here, we’d be happy to let you in, give you the dime tour of the storefront and sign any books. And if we have a book or tool in stock that you are interested in we’d be happy to sell it to you.
But here are the “buts….”
We can’t make appointments for a visit – no exceptions. We hustle here every day. And sometimes we need to get to the lumberyard or hardware store at the drop of a hat. So if you swing through and we’re here, great. If we’re not, sorry.
We are 100 percent closed on Sunday.
The best time to catch us is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday. We sometimes step out for lunch for a bit.
You must be vaccinated against COVID. This is my home and my business, and that’s the rule.
We ask that you keep your visit fairly brief. We like to talk to customers, but we are a busy (sometimes frantically busy) small business.
If the virus gets wildly out of control, we reserve the right to suspend visits.
So that’s it. Please, please, please don’t bug Megan or Meghan about bending or breaking the above rules. They are firm.
Wow. I know this sounds a bit inhospitable. I wish we had employees who could handle constant visitors and tours and the like. But we don’t. So let’s give this a try.
— Christopher Schwarz
Our storefront is located at 837 Willard St., Covington, KY 41011.
Source: lostartpress.com