Walking home, I felt the breath of Carl Jung on my neck. Then we parted, promising to get together again when time permits. My new friend Lumpy (the name given him by his beloved Brotherhood of the Surf on Southern California beaches we both frequented (but me much earlier, and not surfing)) talked on, about the old Southern California days for a while. If the internet had been strong in those days, Holmes would still be in business – it is the internet antiquarian book store fronts which are keeping such bookstores in business.

The last one was the Oakland store, which closed in 1994, 101 years after Holmes opened his first store on Mission Street in San Francisco.Īs my new friend talked about his family, and Holmes Books, I closed my eyes and saw the stacks – and smelled that wonderful aroma of old books – where my GRS collection began. The Holmes bookstores finally closed – buildings old, foot traffic low, no internet on which to offer books in those days. So our collections were founded at Holmes in San Francisco. His Oakland store had more collectible antiquarian books, but it was a long drive and anyway we had no money for rare books. We found many, and many of those cost a dollar.

In Ranger days, when money was tight and our interest in Stewart’s books strong, on payday some of us visited Holmes in San Francisco – at Third and Market – to seek first editions of Stewart’s books. He’d fought fires, like the one described in Stewart’s fine novel FIRE.Īnd – the highlight – his great-grandfather was Robert Holmes, founder of the legendary Holmes Bookstores in San Francisco and Oakland. He’d been a YAK – Youth Conservation Corps member – and we’d worked with the Yaks and similar groups in the old ranger days. His grandmother’s name was Theodosia, an unusual name but also the name of George R. He knew where Atwater Village is, one of the few who do. It was one of those friendly swappings of stories which enrich lives, and unearth the most unlikely and wonderful connections. Not long after, a rider on a classic Schwinn came by. On a walk through beautiful Historic West Carson, I took a breather on the bench near The Martin Basque Restaurant. There are many pleasant meetings on the George R.

Earth abides by george r stewart