The First-Ever Bar Book Swap at The Republican

Posted // 2012-09-06 - One of my favorite things is that lingering old-book aroma on your fingers after you peruse literature for hours at a shop. My second favorite finger scent is Guinness after leaving a pub. Have I said too much? Anyway, this book swap is the best of both.

The Republican manager Josh Stasinos moonlights as the Pub Quiz maestro at the bar. With the weekly flock of graduate students nerding out about the classics in literature along with pop culture thises and thats, Stasinos thought it was a no-brainer to begin a monthly book swap, which will land at the Irish pub the first Thursday of every month. The first event will be held Thursday, Sept. 6 at 9 p.m. at The Republican (917 S. State, 801-595-1916).

“People are going to come down here and meet other literate people of the community,” Stasinos says, adding that the bar is a community center -- like a traditional Irish pub -- so it makes sense to give people a reason to come in beyond just drinking a beer or watching a soccer match. “I expect tomorrow to be chaotic. I want people to be uncomfortable and interact with people they don’t know.”

Stasinos says that there won’t be a format for the first swap, but he is open to suggestions and comments from attendees. “It will be interesting to see how many people show up, mainly because I’m curious about how many people read in this world any more,” he says. “You can’t bring a Kindle and bump it with other people and get their books.”

All genres and styles of physical books are welcome. No money is to be exchanged for books at the event. And with the brand new change in liquor laws effecting drink specials (in a good way...kinda), The Republican will have a $3.00 gin gimlet tonight, because, Stasinos says, that is the favored drink of Raymond Chandler.

Photo by John Stephen Dwyer courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons