Titillating Titles: Playboy Magazine at Curious!

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I'm all wiggly from having too much espresso. 

Can't sleep. 

It's just after 11 p.m., and I've poured myself a glass 

of red rosé to try to calm myself a bit.

Tonight was the Playboy Photo Shoot at Curious!

Two days ago we were visited by a photographer 

who was scouting locations in East Lansing

for Playboy's rather popular Girls of the Big Ten issue.

He liked what he saw at Curious, and seemed

enthusiastic when he introduced himself. 

I felt like I blew it, as I slipped into my 

overly-friendly-to-the-tourist mode 

and handed him a map, 

telling him about the cool record shops in town 

(The Record Lounge and Flat, Black and Circular).

We talked about who would have the best natural lighting, etc.

Unwelcome subconscious sabotage on my part! 

We had been approached by Playboy before, 

about 5 years ago - before my time.

They were interested in using us as a location 

for the same Big Ten feature.

Such a tease.

 So, when he said that Curious was "for sure" the place, 

none of us Curious-ers expected much of it.

The photographer came back yesterday... 

and he brought the production team!

They took a meandering tour 

through the shop's three floors

and decided that the shop's "character" was just right.

I wasn't sure how to feel about this whole Playboy thing. 

I've never really had a problem with 

the seedier side of Hollywood,

 but am not a in favor of  objectifying women 

or the blatant consumerism and billions generated by the 

over-sexualization of models and customers, alike. 

However, I respect and admire Helen Gurley Brown,

 and I've watched my fair share of The Girls Next Door.

I'm a Millennial. 

I recognize the popularity of sex 

and the gravitas of the Playboy label, one of
America's longest-running and iconic publications.

I wanted Curious to be the cool place!

I wound up spending some time upstairs with 

the Playboy people. 

(They would grimace to be called that, 

as they are freelance professionals.)

While up there I realized they were just 

normal people with extremely exotic jobs.

The shoot producer had a field day 

looking through our run of vintage Playboys.

She even found a few she had been looking for, 

including the 1988 Cindy Crawford cover that she says 

convinced her to start working for Playboy.

Those photos of Cindy Crawford 

are almost as stunning as the spread of her 

ten years later, after having children.

Seriously. 

Stunning.

They couldn't quite decide where to do the shoot.

They liked the upstairs, with the big mirror.

The colors are lighter upstairs, more airy.

Too similar to the Ohio State barber shop spread, though.

The other option was the basement, 

possibly resulting in

our beloved green armchair 

making an appearance.

(Fret not, Green Chair Lovers!)

They left without coming to a decision.

There was a vague understanding 

that the production team and model 

would return the next evening to shoot, around 6.

Mark and I scrambled around the shop, 

chasing dust bunnies and scrubbing things.
Liz had the foresight to straighten up bookcases
on the ground floor and do some needed sweeping.

As per normal Curious procedure, 

no one seemed to know what the plan was this morning.

We had more than enough to keep us 

busy with the BIG BOOK SHOW looming over us.

As the clock(s) neared 6, 

each of us found a good enough reason 

to hover around on the ground floor, waiting.

The first cart-load of photo equipment 

finally crossed the threshold around 6:45.

After a brief deliberation, 

the photographer started setting up on the main floor, 

in General Fiction, of all places!

The shop cleared out pretty quickly 

(except for the customer we nearly forgot in the basement)

and some staff members made their escapes.

Curiosity got the best of me. 

I stayed.

It's amazing what a professional can do in a small space.

After a brief hunt for available electrical outlets 

and some strategic light placement in the aisles, 

they were ready. 

I made a helpful contribution 

when I dug up my favorite spare book-show rug 

 to use as an set anchor.

The photographer was relieved, 

and said it went well with the color palate.

At this time I encourage you 
to be awed and amazed 
by my obvious artistic and 

compositional talents.
Thank you.

Good thing they brought their own extension cord.
There was some concern about their strobe lighting
being too powerful for the circuit,
but we had no problems! 

Glitz and Glamour.

Their fancy camera and lights make it look way better
than my little Canon.

While we all waited for the model to show up 

(it was another hour, at least),

we played around with the "set" and 

Ray posed for portrait photos by the photographers.

I feel like I bullied it into him, 

but what a cool experience! 

It deserved a souvenir.
Maybe they'll include Ray in the spread!

The model seemed like your 

typical Midwestern, MSU college girl.

Friendly, petite, polite, highlights and a strong handshake.

She was wearing a cute "DEFYE" shirt when we met, 

and Liz lusted after her black stilettos.

She had never been to the shop.

Gah.
Read books, people!

Curious has had more than its fair share
of media attention, this year.
Two weeks ago a student group
filmed a documentary,
and I gave a crummy interview.
Of course they used my photo on the cover.
We still haven't gotten around to watching it.

With Barnes and Noble closing earlier
this year, we've had dozens of professional
and student reporters coming in for our take
on the matter. We've also had a handful
of professional and student photographers
rooting around the shop, which is pretty neat.

The Playboy shoot was, as Liz put it, 

very classy and professional.

The production team members were charming, 

apologetic for "getting in the way".

I was just glad they let us hang out.

Ray, Liz and I awkwardly hovered around the 

front counter, making tasteless jokes.

Ray thought the model felt better having me and Liz there.
I'm sure he also felt a bit better having us around.

We spent most of the rather surreal evening

flipping through some of our vintage men's magazines 

with the producer and other photographer.

They schooled us about classic poses,
favorite artists and "cheesecake".

It was a good time.

From our vantage point 

we had a great view 

of the photographer's jean-clad butt. 

We couldn't help but giggle 

as we listened to his directions for the model. 

Peeking seemed like a rude thing to do.

The Curious Playboy.

I left right around the time the crew began
discussing the merits of East Lansing bars, 

or maybe doing some jello shots
and trying out the Marriott's jacuzzi.

Erm..... no. I'll have to pass.
But, thanks for the invite!

We should receive copies of the professional photos
taken of Ray sometime soon.
The producer suggested that we do a "book" signing
when the Big Ten issue is published, this September.

Sure, whatever will bring people into the shop.
We desperately need the business!

John K. King's Used and Rare Books of Detroit

So, I finally went to King's.

It was inevitable.

 

Here's a peek into our trip into Detroit's

John K. King's Used and Rare Books,

What began as a 4-story glove factory

is now a sprawling maze of books and other

paper items concerning every topic you could 

possibly imagine, and then some.

King's downtown location is Michigan's largest

book shop. I wonder where it ranks on an international scale...

 

I was overwhelmed, but also underwhelmed by what I found.

I'm not sure what I expected, so I cannot say what it lacked.

Nonetheless, this place is absolutely AMAZING. 

King's was established in 1965, just three years before Curious opened.

I've only been to a handful of shops like Curious and King's.

These places are usually dusty, disorderly and rather whimsical.

They're full of treasures lost and found, as well as a lot of rubbish.

Stores like these are increasingly rare - much rarer than the items they offer.

Finding a place like this can make you feel as though you've 

entered a rift in time, or someone's junk shop. 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

 Did I mention how HUGE this old factory is?

I wish I could properly describe it, as well as where

it sits within Detroit. It's practically invisible, if you don't know 

to look for King's. In the muted landscape that is downtown,

the bookstore's faded facade easily blends into the 

downtrodden haze of Detroit's cityscape.

There were signs in the stairwell to help direct cold winter customers to

one of the few "warming stations" available. The cost of heating this entire building would be

astronomical, and you can rule out space heaters in a four-story pile of paper and dust!

 

 

I wandered further and further into the building with eyes wide and camera ready. 

I refused to look at the books themselves, trying to take in the forest rather than the trees. 

It's too bad that I hadn't brought a list of books to look for, 

as this wasn't the sort of place to just start browsing. 

I was too anxious, flitting from one little "room" to the next, 

weaving between the cases and boxes and trying not to focus on the spines.

 

King's is doing about as well, economically, as the other remaining stores of its ilk. 

Can you imagine how many people it takes to run a sinking ship? 

I admired the bookkeeper aprons worn by the roaming staff members, 

with bulging pockets and what looked like permanent dust stains down the fronts. 

One long-time clerk with whom I spoke for quite some time seemed a bit jaded. 

For once I was grateful for the limited space that is my little Curious Book Shop.

 

Planks and cinder blocks - sometimes you can't wait

for just the right bookcase, even if you're a bookseller

who is offered dozens of bookshelves every year!

King's was astonishing, wonderful, terrifying and utterly unique. 

I can't believe it had taken me so long to get there! 

The Husband couldn't believe that I only bought 2 books, for a grand total of $10.

Next time, we're going back with lists of books to look for, as well as flashlights...

Something Interesting...

Odd, nostalgia-invoking items cross my desk every day.
There's usually just enough time to pause, admire and move along to the next thing.

This gem, published in 1953 and distributed to American children, must be shared!


The Bank belongs to the people? Could have fooled me...

The Story of Money. 1953. Louis F. Dow Co., St. Paul.
The back cover reads: "Use with Arithmetic Instruction Kits; Manufactured by WacoTex Industries, Inc.; P. O. Box 3098 Waco, Texas; Producers of metal play coins for educational uses"