Prairie Lights Shines for 25 Years

A recent study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics declared San Francisco as the leader in book sales per capita. The San Francisco Chronicle quoted a San Francisco bookseller as saying she sold architecture and fine cookbooks but couldn't make a living selling cheap romance novels. "You could do that in the Midwest," she said. Jim Harris, owner of Prairie Lights in Iowa, might disagree. Though Prairie Lights did dabble in Danielle Steele books years ago, "nobody bought them," said Harris, who also noted that people "read romance novels in every city in the country." Primarily, Prairie Lights has been a "literary" bookstore for the 25 years of its existence.

Prairie Lights will be commemorating its silver anniversary on May 25. To celebrate, the store is throwing a party that includes an employee reunion with over 100 past and present employees attending, including the second employee in Prairie Lights' history. People are flying in from Seattle, San Jose, Maine, and Brooklyn to attend. The first Prairie Lights employee will be in Italy and can't make the barbecue to which 250 customers and neighbors are also invited.

The store was a source for serious literature from the outset, when Prairie Lights opened in 1978. "I had no idea what I was doing," said Harris. But the Iowa Writers' Workshop "sort of adopted [Prairie Lights]" and helped with suggestions to fill the shelves, inculcating Harris into the reading needs of the graduate writing program. Writers like Raymond Carver and Alice Munro, still favorites of Harris, were then getting their start. Prairie Lights gave them a home.

The bookstore has moved since the 1970s and now occupies 11,000 square feet in downtown Iowa City. Prairie Lights' latest acquisition of 800-square-feet was actually a literary salon throughout the 1930s, hosting writers Carl Sandburg, Robert Frost, Sherwood Anderson, Langston Hughes, e e cummings, and others. Gertrude Stein and partner Alice B. Toklas were rumored to have been on their way to the salon when they were thwarted by a sleet storm.

Prairie Lights has also increased its literary readings to around 250 a year, said Harris. "The smaller ones we do on site," he said. "But the larger ones we do off site and live on public radio." WSUI Iowa City's public radio station regularly hosts "Live from Prairie Lights" featuring readings with authors and phone-in questions from listeners. Recent guests have been Dean Young and James Galvin, who teach at the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

The synergy between Prairie Lights and the Workshop continues. Faculty, whose books can be found on Prairie Lights' shelves, often give readings and maintain a close relationship with the bookstore. Author Ethan Canin (The Palace Thief Stories, Picador), a graduate of the Workshop and now a faculty member, worked at Prairie Lights in the early '80s, when he was a student. "I've given many readings in bookstores, and Prairie Lights is one of the best bookstores in the country," said Canin. The Workshop and Prairie Lights are very closely tied, he mentioned. "It's where all our students live. There are three to four readings a week and our students attend in throngs."

Harris elaborated on the connection between the bookstore and the writing program: "Our relationship with the Writers Workshop has always been positive, influential, and friendly, and, in many cases, has elevated the quality of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction which we sell."

Of course, to survive a quarter century, Prairie Lights must employ a dedicated staff. Harris credits them with much of the store's success. "There have been some outstanding people who have worked here, especially Jan Weissmiller, [who's been here] since Christmas 1978. Armed with a B.A. in history and an M.F.A. in poetry, in many respects Jan is the glue that holds us together. But she will tell you that she's not alone," he noted.

Book Sense also helps. Prairie Lights has been a Book Sense store since the beginning in '99 and features all the Book Sense bestseller lists. "Book Sense titles are prominently displayed in the middle of the store along with photographs of the Book Sense authors who have appeared here," said Harris.

"I preach old-fashioned customer service coupled with knowledge," stated Harris about his bookselling practices. "It's like working in a grocery store. You don't want to run out of corn flakes, but you can't stock three months' worth. You find out by doing it, but we must be doing it right because we've been here for 25 years. The … evolution has been extremely gratifying, and I personally feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment for myself, the staff, and our community." -- Karen Schechner