Loome Theological Booksellers to Open Sacred Gifts Department

I'm going up to Stillwater, Minnesota, this weekend, to attend a launch party for the newest department of Loome Theological Booksellers, which will be devoted to quality sacred art and gifts, this Sunday, from 2 to 4 PM at their store 320 North Fourth Street. It should be quite an impressive occasion, and I am told the St. Agnes Chamber Choir from St. Paul will be performing at one point during the proceedings.

My friend Mr. Andrew Poole, who, with his wife Mara, is raising a growing Catholic family, is one of the two new part-owners of the place. He has been working hard to make this a great event, and to stock quality art and goods, rather than the usual glow-in-the-dark rosaries and the like. I admit that I have more than a little bias as I am one of the artists who he will be giving gallery space to in the store. He and I have also set up an arrangement to sell holy cards and prints of my work as well, which I am very excited about. He hopes in time to offer hand-made letter-press editions of my art. From that, you can tell Andrew has a real eye for detail and a grassroots concern for craft: you can tell the difference between letterpress and digital easily, down to the feel of the paper and the imprint of the images and text.

In an age dominated by big-box retail in books as well as everything else, it is refreshing to see that such a dominating institution as Loome's is still in many respects a local, mom-and-pop sort of place, and that the man behind the cash register believes in the truths that are stacked up high on his shelves.

Anyway, please come, tell your friends, have a drink, scope the place out, ogle the stacks of Roman Missals and arcane theological works that weigh down the shelves, and enjoy some convivial conversation and Catholic culture. I'll be there, and in addition to my ink illustrations, I will also have on display some images from some church design projects that I have worked on (or, in one case, am currently working on!), due to Andrew's generosity. I am sure, in any case, a good time will be had by all.