Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Seng.
Hi Kate, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have always had an affinity for reading and writing. I fell in love with the movie, “You’ve Got Mail”, in 1998 and from that day forward wanted to open my version of “the shop around the corner. The vision for a community gathering space in a walkable community led me to Milton. It has been a wonderful first year. We celebrate our one-year anniversary on August 17th. We celebrate our one-year anniversary on August 17th and will celebrate with a week of daily activities from August 21st through the 26th.
The name Poe & Company comes from a fond memory I have from childhood. My dad loved to tell a good story and he loved to read them as well! I remember a scary rendering of Edgar Allan Poe’s, ” A Tale-Tell Heart”, that is a pleasant memory of time spent together as a family reading. My dad was a fan of dark mysteries and I appreciated his love for Poe & Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like everything in life, nothing worth having is easy. We have had wonderful, exciting moments with new authors and new friends but have also had our share of challenges. We operate with a small crew and that in itself can be challenging. All of us wear many hats and are working on the challenges of marketing on a tight budget, shipping delays and procedural issues. But our successes far outweigh our challenges! I love the people that work at the store and the passion they share for the store’s success. It is a blessing to work with the people that have been put in my path.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Poe & Company Bookstore?
Our independent bookstore is a gathering space for the community. We serve all genres. I hope to have created a welcoming environment for all readers. We have author signings, Story Time, Book Club, A Summer Reading Program and welcome all community groups to make use of our space. We currently have book clubs, bible studies, a knitting group, and writing groups meeting at the store. We are a New York Times Reporting Store which is important for the authors that come through.
We have knowledgeable staff that can help with recommendations and/or order books that we don’t carry.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Change this to come celebrate our Anniversary with us August 21-26th. We will have author meet and greets, give-aways, discounts and more!
Contact Info:
- Website: poeandcompanybookstore.com
- Instagram: @poeandcompanybookstorellc
- Facebook: poe&companybookstore
Image Credits
Savannah M. Photography
