A New Year Full of Changes

Well, for those of you who have been reading the blog since it began last year, my silence has been for good reason. After four years of being the proprietor of Cranesbill, the beginning of 2008 became a moment of change in direction. As you are reading this, those changes involve a new management team, a revamped second floor, an ambitious schedule of events for the immediate future, and a better store at your service.

First, our new staffers: Chelsea resident Al Scafuri joins us as the store’s General Manager. Jeremy Montange remains on board as Operations Manager, bookseller, and resident dog whisperer. Al comes to us from Motawi Tile Works, where he supervised installations, bringing with him a solid knowledge of books, a willingness to get long needed changes made, and a cheerful willingness to learn the ins and outs of the store and its computer system that have eluded mere mortals like myself. Shelby Scafuri joins the team as Marketing Director, adding her years of advertising and public relations experience to our team. And we also have a new bookseller, Jennifer Kothe, who is also well-known as a talented floral designer for her family’s business, Gigi’s Flowers. Dave Folland and Virginia Drennan remain on board as booksellers. I will also be a bookseller, buyer of toys and children’s books, and website coordinator. The store has always been short on staff, resulting in our taking a collective risk in order to serve our community better and to offer better selection, information, and an environment that we can all enjoy.

In process now is a redesigned second floor, with two separate seating areas and a piano for regular musical amusements. Film screenings will continue, with three separate series on Friday nights, running from February to May, with the support of the Chelsea Film Society. The schedules will be announced soon, but they will be aimed at families (Cinema Cranesbill), movie buffs (Chelsea Film Society), and those concerned with serious issues around environmental and economic concerns (Sustainability Film Group).

Some of the CDs have been taken down in order to accommodate these changes, but we will be keeping a core of great artists —local and national, modern and traditional— to serve those who demand an unusual level of music that comes from every direction: bluegrass, blues, Cajun, Celtic, country, folk, jazz, reggae, rock and world music. Local artists will be featured, as they always have been.

We invite you to join us February 29 and March 1 as we celebrate four years in our current location. Details are still being settled, but we hope you will enjoy our efforts to make our place yours. Meanwhile, please bear with us as we continue our quest to offer you the best in books, music, and playthings, as well as a few surprises to come.