Brad S.
Yelp
Technologically, I'm pretty forward-thinking. It's been two years since I cut physical CDs and DVDs out of my life, and since getting my Kindle a year ago, my for-pleasure book collection has been whittled down to the single digits (I don't see my cookbooks or magazines getting replaced any time in the near future, though). I think it's the way of the future, and I think the big box retailers like Borders and Barnes and Noble are getting their comeuppance for forcing me to buy $25 hard cover books for the past two decades. Borders, like Blockbuster, failed to evolve in a changing marketplace, and they are now bankrupt as a result. Quite frankly, I'm glad they're gone. I think Barnes and Noble will reach a time when the Nook will be the primary money-making venture, too, but at least B&N had the foresight to do something to stop hemorrhaging money.
Bookstores will still be around for many years to come, of course, though I believe they will live on in the independent neighborhood bookshop, where service and niche appeal will continue to keep some folks interested in physical pieces of paper. More power to them, especially when it's a local business that has an interest in sharing their wares with other book lovers. Me? I've just about exhausted any need for places like that, though my need for a great place to find a soup and sandwich can never be quenched. If the crowd was any indication during the Sunday of my visit, Watermark's cafe is equally good - if not better - than the bookstore itself.
Any time a place bakes its own bread automatically scores points with me, and when that focaccia used for the Iliad chicken salad sandwich, it was very good. The mayo was conservatively used, though I don't know if it could have helped with the large chunks of chicken, which were a little dry, but with the tarragon, walnuts, and green onion, the flavor was definitely there. Any dryness was offset with a cup of their standard tomato bisque, which was large, sweet and flavorful.
More impressive was their willingness to experiment, with every day bringing a new soup and baked goods, usually from a monthly rotation of cookbooks that they offer for sale. It's a fun concept, and its a guarantee that there's always something new to discover. I'm excited to go back and try a pastry and coffee.
Even if you're like me and over the whole "physical book" thing, they are registered with Google ebooks, so you can go to Watermark's website, buy books for your smartphone or e-reader and still support local businesses. This is probably going to be how a lot of independent bookstores are going to conduct business in the future, and even if the book business eventually goes the way of the dodo, there's no doubt the cafe will still be around for years to come.
