Aunt Agatha's
New & Used Mysteries, Detection & True Crime Books
Owners Robin & Jamie Agnew
AboutRobin & Jamie Agnew both worked many retail jobs including Borders, in Jamie’s case, and when their daughter Margaret was born in 1991 the idea of starting a business where they could share both work and child care was born. Modelled on Uncle Edgar’s mystery bookstore in Minneapolis, the Agnews took the leap in 1992 and haven’t looked back. The store won the Raven Award from the Mystery Writers of America in 2013 for service to the mystery community outside the realm of creative writing.
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Store Information
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Indie InterviewHow would you describe your store to someone who has never visited? A place crammed with every kind of used and new mystery imaginable. It’s a cozy and friendly place to browse.
What inspired you to open a bookstore and why did you choose to specialize in mysteries? Robin is a life long mystery fan - starting with Nancy Drew - and the mystery genre is one of the few that you can specialize in, as it’s such a large genre and the readers are so passionate. How do you think being a specialized bookstore has helped your business over the years? It’s good to have a focus - there are so many books out there! - if you have a specialty you can truly be the best of the best and sell a very wide as well as deep selection of your chosen specialty. What has been your favorite part of owning and/or working in a bookstore? Customers and passionate readers who have become friends, and getting to know the talented people who write these wonderful books. Some of our favorite writers we have known from the start of their careers and it’s a real kick to see their careers and reputations as well as popularity with readers grow with each new book. What has been your greatest challenge running a bookstore? Weathering a sometimes tough economy as well as competition from other bookstores as well as pressure from Amazon and e-books. What role do you think books and bookstores play in the culture of Ann Arbor? There are so many bookstores downtown tourists actually come to Ann Arbor to go to the bookstores. It’s become more and more unusual - many cities don’t have one bookstore, not to mention the 9 or so we have here. It adds a richness to the fabric of life. |
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