It was ten years ago this month, in January 2016, that I found myself drawn to a former adult bookstore on Spenard Road in Anchorage for a poetry reading. A shabby building in a neglected part of town, the building represented the dream of a small group of writers – Vered Mares, Teeka Ballas, and Dawnell Smith, along with book and art supporter Kathy McCue – who hoped to tear it down and build a new bookstore and café that would offer a creative space for the Anchorage community. I wasn’t sure what literary scene to expect that night, but I knew there would be surprises. The event didn’t disappoint. Old private video stalls transformed into powerful works of art by local visual artists. Musicians and belly-dancers. And, of course, poetry. A standing-room-only crowd, hanging on every word, packed into an old space that had once housed racks of sex toys and pornography videos.
Driving home that evening I felt exhilarated and grateful. Exhilarated to be immersed in such high creative energy, and grateful for those who made it happen. Over the past decade, as the Writer’s Block Bookstore & Café evolved from its unlikely beginnings to a beloved gathering place, I’ve felt the same way countless times. From its earliest days, the business offered event space at no charge so local writers could share their work. 49 Writers, Poetry Parley, Alaska Quarterly Review, Cirque, and Alaska Writers Guild were just a few of the many groups who came to rely on the welcoming and intimate setting when seeking a public venue. Writer’s Block was generous with the gift it offered, even fashioning outdoor options during the Covid pandemic so people could still come together. Spending time there inevitably meant being introduced to new words, new music, new faces, new friends.
News last fall that Writer’s Block would be closing at its present location, and might be closing for good, hit the Anchorage writing community hard. Over the past decade, the place had become our clubhouse, and we wondered how we would survive without it. At a time when we hear that society is more isolated and lonelier than ever, how could we preserve one of the most valuable experiences we share: time together? For many, the news forced the realization that the events we love and the spaces we take for granted don’t just happen. Whether a small business offering a stage to creative communities or an organization offering workshops and special events, bringing people together takes vision, commitment, and hard work. Organizing and supporting creative gatherings is rewarding, but it’s also exhausting. We can’t be surprised when folks carrying the burden move on to other things.
During the 49 Writers Holiday Party on December 20 at Writer’s Block—the day before it was scheduled to close—the then owner Vered Mares announced that she had successfully sold the business to local Anchorage business folks who plan to reopen it at a different Spenard location. The new owners intend to continue the Block’s tradition of supporting Anchorage’s creative community. The building won’t share the same raunchy past – it also hosts a bank – but it hopes to share the same spirit and bring the same joy. Upon hearing the good news, the collective relief of those assembled was palpable. Adding to the excitement, we’ve also learned that the owner of the building being vacated, herself a long-time Alaskan with a love of books and a background in the publishing world, hopes to continue offering art and literary events in the next rendition of the space.
Looking forward, it’s hard to escape how lucky we’ve been. It feels like a small miracle that a tiny group of creative people dedicated so much of their lives to nurturing a warm and inspiring space for the rest of us. The old Writer’s Block building is empty now. Vered plans to head south to graduate school soon. Teeka and Dawnell are carrying on their careers in Anchorage. Thankfully for 49 Writers, Dawnell now serves as vice president of the board, where she continues to devote her many skills to Alaska’s writing community. I know I’m not alone in extending the deepest gratitude to these visionaries for gathering us together, with such grace, for so many years. The first chapter of Writer’s Block may be ending, but the memories – and the legacy – remain bright.
