Les Renards & Co., a little bookstore located in the Arcanum Building adjacent to Robertson Plaza, officially opened its doors Thursday afternoon with a well-attended grand opening.
The bookstore, which will be open Wednesdays through Sundays, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., builds on the success of last year’s pop-up bookstore in the same location and, like its predecessor, will benefit the Norfolk Library Associates.
Trish Deans, who has worked for years with the rare and vintage books at the annual Norfolk Library Book Sale held in August, said that she and Michael Selleck conceived of last-year’s pop-up bookstore to extend the reach of the August sale.
“That worked, so why not pay the rent and make it permanent?” she asked. “You can’t sell books if they are in the library’s basement.”
The little store presents new and used book as well as some carefully curated small items. Deans said 30 to 40 percent of the books are from the library’s collection, some are used books sourced from all over, and the rest are “something new and exciting to come in and see.” Subjects are drawn from all genres, with a healthy selection of children’s and young adult books. She will also carry books by Haystack Book Festival authors.
“The goal is to keep the prices accessible,” she said.
The regular hours will be extended if the town is doing some special and author talks will be planned.
Why Les Renards (The Foxes)? She said foxes are a motif in Norfolk, with residents frequently sighting the elusive creatures. “The Fox trademark was taken, so we did it in French,” she said with a smile.