This week, we’re unwrapping (not literally) a little piece of local journalistic history: one of 150,000 condoms distributed by The Boston Phoenix. In 1987, the alternative weekly published an issue that included a condom—donated by Trojan—and a guide to safer sex with every newspaper. They intended to raise awareness of the burgeoning AIDS crisis, and to court some controversy at a time when contraception itself was still up for debate in heavily Catholic Boston. As usual on this podcast, the story behind the story is just as fascinating, and Ken’s got insider info on the unique logistical challenges posed by getting all those condoms into all those papers. Join us for a tale of courageous publishing—and shortsighted stapling—on this slightly-racier-than-usual #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #236 - Books Outside
This week we’re taking a look at one of the shop’s most distinctive features: our outdoor sale lot. Open year-round in extreme New England weather, the lot presents some unique operational challenges for the Brattle crew (not many booksellers have to worry about their customers getting frostbite, or about sudden summer thunderstorms decimating their sale sections). It’s a fun, photogenic space that generates a lot of publicity—we’ve hosted weddings, served as a movie location, and appeared in countless social media posts—but the lot also acts as a practical pressure valve for overstuffed shelves inside the shop, allowing new books to be brought in almost every day. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at our book-eating monster on this outdoorsy new #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #211 - Photo Ops
These days, the Brattle is more than a book shop—it’s also a backdrop. In this episode, Ken talks about what happens when someone wants to film here, whether it’s for a hotel promo, a student film, or a Hollywood movie with an actual budget. We’ll cover the questions we ask before saying yes to a project, why it’s usually worth participating, and how the shop has shown up in everything from Instagram stories to Oscar winners. It’s always an honor to be included—and we’re not above appreciating the free advertising.
Brattlecast #142 - Post-Covid Changes
As the Covid-19 pandemic slowly draws to a close, we’re taking stock of some of the changes it’s caused—to downtown Boston, the secondhand book business, and, especially, the Brattle. Differences at the shop run deeper than masked employees and plexiglass barriers: after a disastrous first year, we’re busier than ever before, and our new customers tend to be younger and more diverse. A revised book-buying policy has cut down on conflict, and we’ve renewed our focus on in-person shopping, keeping many of the better books offline. Some of the most important changes at the shop have to do with not being there: prioritizing family, travel, and work/life balance. We talk about it all on today’s “new normal” episode of the #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #140 - The Power of Instagram
Something interesting is happening: the Brattle’s traditional demographic of bookish older men (No offense! We love you!) is being edged out by younger, more diverse, and dare we say, hipper customers. Why? Our photogenic outdoor sale lot has become popular on Instagram, creating a cycle of visits, alfresco shopping selfies, likes, organic advertising, and more visits. We’ll talk about the ways that this social media-driven shift is changing the shop, and the irony of an ultramodern communication network luring people back into the arms of dusty old books, on this potentially viral #brattlecast.