This edition of What’s in Store focuses on Who’s in Store, a brief look at the culture mavens staffing Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery.
On Sundays from 11:30 to 5:00 PM, and during most special events, we have the lovely and talented Janice Headley behind the counter. Janice specializes in contemporary comix, independent music, and esoteric popular culture. When she’s not at the store, Janice supervises social media for listener powered KEXP FM. (You’ll often hear her lilting voice on station promotional spots.) Her commitment to comix is demonstrated by her role as co-organizer of the phenomenally successful Short Run Comix & Arts Festival held every fall in Seattle. Janice also operates the lively one-woman pop culture website Copacetic Zine.
On Mondays and Tuesdays from 11:30 to 8:00 PM you’ll find Russell Battaglia, former proprietor of Seattle’s legendary Fallout Records. He once hosted a signing with R. Crumb, Daniel Clowes, Jim Woodring, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Roberta Gregory, Peter Bagge, and Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez – at one time! Virtually every significant cartoonist in the country stopped by Fallout. Not to mention in-store appearances by bands like White Stripes, Husker Du (pictured above), Big Black, Sonic Youth, and many more. His visionary enterprise helped establish the foundation for Seattle’s grunge music movement.
The rest of the time you’ll be served by longtime comix, music, and art enthusiast Larry Reid. Over the course of his career he’s presented the work of countless musicians, visual and literary artists including Lynda Barry, Robert Mapplethorpe, Andy Warhol, Nirvana, William S. Burroughs, Art Spiegelman, Lydia Lunch, Ann Magnuson, Chuck Close, Keith Haring, Mike Kelley, Karen Finley, Charles Peterson, Von Dutch, Henry Rollins, and Gary Panter, to name but a few. He has contributed to several books including Pop Surrealism: The Rise of Underground Art, Edward Colver: Blight at the End of the Funnel, Tiki Art Now!, Jini Dellaccio: Rock & Roll, and most recently, Sub Pop USA: 1980 – 1987.
Meet these knowledgeable and friendly folks at Fantagraphics Bookstore at 1201 S. Vale Street in the heart of Seattle’s historic Georgetown arts community. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110.