The Where I Live series aims to showcase our diverse city and region by spotlighting its many vibrant neighborhoods. Each week a local resident invites us over and lets us in on what makes their neighborhood special. Have we been to your neighborhood yet? Get in touch to share your story. If your story is selected and published, you will receive a $250 stipend.
Opening a bookstore after just having moved from another country might be a bit crazy. Even just opening an independent bookstore, according to my accountant, is a crazy idea. But when people tell me about another bookstore that used to be around but ultimately didn’t survive, it doesn’t make me gulp anymore.
When my wife, Valentina, and I opened San Antone Books earlier this year after moving from Bologna, Italy, we were aware of the risks. To us, it was worth it to be surrounded by books and people attracted by books.
I have been working in publishing for over 20 years, and before that, I studied literature and publishing since high school, learning about English, French, German, Italian and Latin literature all the way until I earned a master’s degree. I’ve been working in publishing since then, for over 20 years now.
From idea to reality, it always takes effort, sleepless hours and energy. We are pretty hardcore on our being independent, so when the wholesalers tried selling us a “starting package,” like they do normally, even with independent bookstores, we refused. Everything that you see displayed here has been handpicked. Years in publishing help in this.
Also, coming from Italy, we provide a European touch, offering what’s hot now in Europe. These are little things that make us unique, especially in a city like San Antonio.
My typical day? After dropping my kid at school, I arrive at the bookstore quite early. There is always a lot to do. The delivery guys know me and my hours, so I receive boxes of books and start to register and display them. I order new titles.
Then, we open to customers and discuss books all day long. For me, it’s a dream.
At night, I read. It’s my treat at the end of the day, and my excuse when I think I should do other things: it’s work.
It’s not something I had considered before, but I am noticing that we are creating a community, and it feels amazing.
Once I was in Rome at a book fair, accompanying a Russian author. He was sad and depressed by what was happening in Ukraine and didn’t want to come to Rome. But there, the feedback of the readers, once he had the chance to meet them, was amazing. When you have the chance to gather people around a common passion, you can go deeper and connect on a human level.
I love our neighborhood, on the border of Monte Vista and Tobin Hill, and this city is quite amazing! Even if it is a big city (especially by Italian standards), it feels like a small city/big town, We feel welcomed.
Publishing is far from being a rich business, so the aim is independence and sustainability. It would be great to bring some great authors to San Antonio. About the rest, I don’t know, we’ll see. We will need all the support our readers will give us. It will make a difference. This is a city with a big heart.
