Cats and bookstores go together like, well, cats and bookstores! Who are we to question the ways of the universe? Our first cat was George, an orange tabby cat who passed before his time due to feline leukemia.
After George passed, in 1989, we got our cat Bart. Bart was named after Bart Simpson, back when the Simpsons were nearly unknown characters on the Tracy Ullman show. Years in the future we knew people would ask us who we named the cat after, and we’d be able to revel in the memory of a cartoon character only we remembered.
Boy, I guess the joke was on us, huh?
Bart became a mainstay of the store, brightening everyone’s visit with his presence, be it patrolling the aisles for ne’er do wells or sleeping on the chair, allowing himself to be petted by even the most excited of small children. Bart lived an exceptionally long time, almost 20 years, powered by the presence of literature and friends. He passed away in June of 2006 after a short illness.
In August of 2006, we got our new cat, Mr. Eko. Named after a character on the then hugely popular TV show Lost, a powerful shaman-like figure. we thought his name would endure in popularity. The next week the character was killed off! But Mr. Eko the cat has proved much more popular and long-lasting. A Yellow Springs legend, many people come to town just to visit with him. He obliges folks these days by being almost always available in the main area of the store, His secret power? He will let you pet the soft fur on his belly forever, and will never bite!