[Crwt-undergrad-info] UCR MFA Alumni [CW-Grad] Cellar Door Books

Thu Jan 19 12:05:18 PST 2023

This bites!

When Kyle and I started going out we lived in our tiny apartment on Central
and Canyon Crest. The Ralph’s in the center was our grocery store and the
Rite-Aid our pharmacy. One of our first dates was at the sushi place that
used to be there (Miyako was the name, I think). I used the post office in
the hallmark store there to mail all my grad school applications, and the
coffee shop right by where Jammin Bread (one of our favorite places) used
to be was our regular hang out. When my last book came out, Cellar Door
hosted a lovely event.

Frustrating to hear what’s become of the center. I’ll send something in.
Does anyone know if Cellar Door has reached out to the Press Enterprise or
the LA Times?

I’m so angry right now.
Æ

On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 11:55 AM Rachelle Cruz <rachelle.a.cruz at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Thanks, Tom and Goldberry. I called and left a message.
>
> I've personally seen the sneers and the disgusted looks from Arcade
> customers and staff at Cellar Door's BLM window display... I can see why
> the assistant manager would say they support the bookstore now that they're
> getting pressure from community members.
>
> All best,
> Rachelle Cruz
>
>
> [she/her]  |  rachellecruz.com  |  @rawqeli <https://twitter.com/rawqeli>
> |
>
> *Experiencing Comics: An Intro to Reading, Discussing & Creating Comics* |
> Cognella, 2018  |  Buy
> <https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/book/9781516516988>
> *God's Will for Monsters,* a 2018 American Book Award Winner |  Inlandia
> Books, 2017 |  Buy
> <https://www.cellardoorbookstore.com/book/9780997093247>
> *Kuwento: Lost Things, An Anthology of New Philippine Myths* | Carayan
> Press, 2015 |  Buy <http://www.kuwento.carayanpress.com/page4/>
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 11:32 AM Amy Hough <ahoug002 at ucr.edu> wrote:
>
>> Message sent. Fingers crossed we can turn this around!
>>
>> On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 11:19 AM Goldberry Long <goldberry.long at ucr.edu>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Thank you Sarah! As I said elsewhere, I can't confirm that it is
>>> definitely Arcade behind the eviction.  I do know that they asked the
>>> center's security to make Linda stop holding Drag Queen Story Hour
>>> (although they won't admit it) and they have been openly hostile to
>>> progressive causes (including an "Impeach Newsom" sign in their window and
>>> one owner retweeting the "Planned Parenthood sells baby parts" canard), but
>>> I cannot definitively link the owners to the eviction.  Please keep this in
>>> mind when protesting.
>>>
>>> The landlord is the definitive cause of the eviction, and can easily be
>>> contacted via the information below.  It may well serve our goal of
>>> standing up for Cellar Door to focus on the landlord.
>>>
>>> GB
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 10:44 AM Sarah Helms <shelm007 at ucr.edu> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi all, I went the route of leaving a negative Google review and then
>>>> in my message to Canyon Crest management, elaborated some support for
>>>> Cellar Door Books and let them know about said review. I don't think
>>>> negative comments reviews are the always the best answer in our world...but
>>>> felt ok for this, to me. Here is my review if helpful to anyone who would
>>>> want to do the same.
>>>>
>>>> In good conscience, I don't recommend coming to any Arcade location.
>>>> Honestly I really wanted to ignore the politics of this business' owners
>>>> because they are a local business with nice seating areas and decent
>>>> coffee, even when I knew they did not follow mask mandates (that would have
>>>> at least protected their most health-vulnerable customers). I was still ok
>>>> supporting them and appreciated the space. The reason I'm writing this
>>>> review now is that the conservatism of this business / its owners is
>>>> infringing on the freedom and operations of the only independent bookstore
>>>> in Riverside, Cellar Door Books, which is directly next to Arcade's outdoor
>>>> seating area. Cellar Door Books carries a wealth of local authors (which of
>>>> course includes queer, Indigenous, and other minority authors in the
>>>> community, and events supporting them), loads of children's books, and
>>>> classics. So! There are some wonderful other local coffee shops --
>>>> Mundial's drip coffee is equally good and their lattes and specialty drinks
>>>> are much, much better (!!); Molinos and Lift Roasters are also awesome.
>>>> Take your business elsewhere and don't support a place that doesn't
>>>> actively support the diversity, and health, of everyone in their community.
>>>> We should expect our local businesses to be supportive of us all, and of
>>>> other businesses. Riverside is better than this.
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 11:25 AM Roda Avelar <ravel007 at ucr.edu> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Thank you for bringing this to our attention! I've sent a letter to
>>>>> the email listed above, it only took a few minutes!
>>>>>
>>>>> Roda
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 6:01 AM Tom Lutz <tomlutz at ucr.edu> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> We would like to enlist the department in helping Riverside's ONLY
>>>>>> independent bookstore, Cellar Door Books.  Last night, the owner of Cellar
>>>>>> Door, Linda, received an eviction notice that gives her 40 days to leave
>>>>>> her current location. The store is profitable and well-run. But Linda has
>>>>>> one strike against her: she is vocally and very publicly progressive.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> For years now, Cellar Door has held Drag Queen Story Hour. When
>>>>>> Jammin' Bread closed, a new owner moved in and opened a cafe called Arcade.
>>>>>> This place is owned by a very conservative member of a megachurch whose
>>>>>> congregation can be seen protesting, yelling, and frowning mightily against
>>>>>> Cellar Door's Drag Queen Story Hour, as well as Linda's ongoing masking
>>>>>> policy and frequent displays of novels by minoritized groups, Black and
>>>>>> Latinx and Queer and Asian and Indigenous and others. Linda has prominent
>>>>>> signs in the windows supporting BLM and other progressive causes.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Cellar Door has always stocked UCR writers, and our department has
>>>>>> held readings there. It is a thriving place where book clubs meet and local
>>>>>> children first learn to browse the shelves. We would like as many people as
>>>>>> possible to write to the owner of Canyon Crest. Those protesting Cellar
>>>>>> Door have written many letters, and I'd like her landlord, the owner of
>>>>>> Canyon Crest Towne Center to know there are just as many, and probably
>>>>>> more, voices who support Cellar Door.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Canyon Crest Management,Inc.
>>>>>> Maggie Sarinana
>>>>>> maggie at canyoncrestmgmt.com
>>>>>> Office: 951-686-1222 Ext 10
>>>>>>
>>>>>> There is also a contact form here:
>>>>>> https://shopcanyoncrest.com/contact-us
>>>>>> <https://shopcanyoncrest.com/contact-us>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> And of course we encourage going to the store and supporting it, too.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks, Tom Lutz and Goldberry Long
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> CWgrad-announcements mailing list
>>>>>> CWgrad-announcements at lists.ucr.edu
>>>>>> https://lists.ucr.edu/mailman/listinfo/cwgrad-announcements
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> *Roda Avelar*
>>>>> MFA Candidate in Poetry, 2023
>>>>> UC Riverside
>>>>> (she / they)
>>>>> www.rodolfoavelar.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Mfa_alumni mailing list
>>>>> Mfa_alumni at lists.ucr.edu
>>>>> https://lists.ucr.edu/mailman/listinfo/mfa_alumni
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Goldberry Long, MA, MFA
>>> Associate Professor of Teaching, Department of Creative Writing
>>> Distinguished Teaching Professor
>>> she/her what's this?
>>> <https://www.cultureamp.com/blog/gender-pronouns-in-workplace>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Mfa_alumni mailing list
>>> Mfa_alumni at lists.ucr.edu
>>> https://lists.ucr.edu/mailman/listinfo/mfa_alumni
>>>
>> --
Æ
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