Comments on: Who's to Blame When a Local Business Closes?

By: Dahlia Fully

Dahlia Fully — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 08:07:42 +0000

Reorganizing the books by color was a brilliant (literally!) and iconic installation by Chris Cobb. That said, the organization at Adobe was iconically haphazard. But that sort of mind numbing book blitz is what makes so many used bookstores so much fun. You find things you wouldn’t have looked for. You happen upon them because they were misplaced in a pile of poetry. The majority of the store was well organized. The selection was intense. San Francisco in the 2013 edition is too scrubbed and self-conscious for its own good. The great thing about the City was its funk, its dare to explore, to look again at the overlooked, to linger, to go out of one’s way to enjoy one’s self. That what Adobe is all about. A modest place with a lot of soul. Yes, please save it. And don’t clean it up. All hail Andrew.

By: Adam Gutterman

Adam Gutterman — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 07:10:36 +0000

Went to Adobe tonight. Confirmed that they are NOT closing. A couple of art projects that features tag lines like “Everything must go!” and whatnot must have led to the rumor. They’re doing just fine apparently.

By: Glen Danzig's Prius

Glen Danzig's Prius — Sat, 29 May 2010 18:10:33 +0000

It’s not Bird it’s Swan.

By: SomeStreet

SomeStreet — Sat, 29 May 2010 06:38:22 +0000

Can we agree that Adobe is worth it so Bird can keep a place to type and print his delusional rants?

Some of us believe in physical blogs, after all. (FYI: assuming “newsletters” are taken, I call “Plogs”).

By: MrEricSir

MrEricSir — Fri, 28 May 2010 22:59:59 +0000

If you actually WENT to Adobe Books, you’d know that their books aren’t organized by color. That was a one-time thing for an art project.

By: SFDoggy

SFDoggy — Fri, 28 May 2010 21:30:26 +0000

I often go into a used book store because I am interested in a certain author; or while browsing I will see an author’s name and look at what selection they have. I have never gone into a bookstore to find a book of a certain color, so, yeah, their organizational method seems lacking.

By: Cranky Old Mission Guy

Cranky Old Mission Guy — Fri, 28 May 2010 20:10:43 +0000

Actually, I blame Adobe Books… because they opened at 12 Noon. Look, your mileage is certain to vary, but I work nights, and all my leisure time is in the morning. I’m pretty sure that browsing books at Midnight is low on the list of priorities for most o’you day people. Me, I have a lot of books, and I buy a lot of books, but I buy from stores that are open at 10 or 10:30 or 11 AM. When I could prop my eyelids open, I would buy at Adobe, but usually, it really isn’t that far to Dog Eared or Aardvark.

By: Brock Keelinig

Brock Keelinig — Fri, 28 May 2010 19:45:27 +0000

I hope they turn it into a Curves.

By: Rhiannon

Rhiannon — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:59:40 +0000

Palace Steak House was rad and we went there twice a month. Great steak, a potato, salad and a roll, plus a coke, for 12 bucks? couldn’t beat it. Too bad they didn’t pass on the business before they retired to enjoy their grandkids (which is what Marina told me was the reason they closed)…

Maybe they need a protege? Why didn’t Commonwealth open there?

By: MrEricSir

MrEricSir — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:44:32 +0000

Do you really go to a used bookstore to find a specific book?

By: james

james — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:41:41 +0000

I think English for ustedes is “all y’all”

By: delicate fleur

delicate fleur — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:31:35 +0000

Books organized by color are OK for photo spreads in magazines. Not for real life.

By: doogie

doogie — Fri, 28 May 2010 16:46:27 +0000

Unfortunate.

That said, Adobe is very disorganized and cramped. Organized and cramped is fine. Disorganized and cramped is uninviting. Finding what you were or were not looking for is a task.

That the article cites organizing the books by color and Joanna Newsom performing there as reasons to mourn the pending closing pretty much sums it up. Shouldn’t a bookstore be remembered for its inventory?