Bridgestreet Books on the eastern edge of Georgetown is Washington, DC treasure. With a narrow, two story space, their collection is not large, but is rather impeccably curated. One of its employees is also the local poet Rod Smith (I purchased his 1999 collection, Protective Immediacy a while back).

Many, many years ago (actually, ten years ago) I lived in Georgetown. Somehow, I accomplished while also being poor. Part of my poverty was my insatiable habit of constantly buying books. I worked for a small non-profit situated just behind the Supreme Court building. Rather going home by way of the nearest metro stop, I would take the red line to Dupont Circle and make the long (ninety minutes or more) walk from there to my apartment near the Key Bridge. On my way home, I would pass so many bookstores that my mouth would water.

I got off the metro by Kramerbooks & Afterwords. Across the street from them was a now defunct used bookstore (I remember that I bought a copy of Kant’s Critique of Judgement from them). Around the corner was Second Story Books. On M Street, on my way home, was a Barnes & Noble.

And then there was Bridgestreet.

They would keep outside their store some racks filled with interesting (and cheap books) that were the immediate lure. And then there was the inside…

Such an enormous poetry section for such a small store! And filled with contemporary and avant-gards poets! Sections set aside for Cultural Theory! A bookshelf of just Greek and Roman classics! And so many small press lit mags (many locally published)!

It was my favorite bookstore among the ones I would pass. I recall that I bought a dozen of those inexpensive little Dover Publications books and a book of essays by Emma Goldman.

Nowadays, it is not so easy to get there from my home on the Hill, but I never visit Georgetown without stopping by.