Congratulations to Paul Yamazaki, who celebrated his 40th anniversary with City Lights bookstore, in my town of San Francisco, Calif., last week.
"I started packing books," Yamazaki told the San Francisco Chronicle, which said that he "attributes his longevity to the 'amazing environment' created by owners Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Nancy Peters."
At his anniversary celebration, guests shared stories, including a classic one concerning Yamazaki's unusual application process when first joining City Lights, which read: "Arriving in '60s-era Ess Eff, he became politically active and was arrested during a student protest at S.F. State. He needed a job to be released. So he reached out to his mentor, poet Francis Oka, who recommended him to Ferlinghetti, who hired Yamazaki sight unseen," the Chronicle wrote.
"City Lights and Paul, it's hard to imagine one without the other," said City Lights Publisher Elaine Katzenberger in her toast at the event. "You've found your place in the world, which is a huge gift to all of us."
In an era when indie bookstores are disappearing left and right, it's comforting to know that at least one of them still stands tall. I hope you're around for another 40 years, City Lights. Paul too for that matter!