courtesy Kwame Spearman
Audio By Carbonatix
There usually isn’t a reason for something like this to be written about a bookstore. In many ways, that’s a good thing. Bookstores should be places of quiet discovery, not headlines.
But I’m writing this now, in my personal capacity, for a simple reason: The Denver Book Society is in a really good place, and it has reached the point we always intended, where I transition out of my role in the business and Rich Garvin alone leads it forward.
When I moved back to Colorado, my home, I wanted to be part of building things. Not to define them, and not to fix anything on my own, but to contribute in a real way to shaping a city and state that I care deeply about. I’ve always believed the best cities are built by people willing to take risks, try new ideas and create spaces that bring others together.
Even after everything that happened with Tattered Cover, the opportunity to help build something like the Denver Book Society was incredibly compelling. I believed then, and still believe now, that Denver needs places where people can gather, connect and feel a sense of belonging.
After nearly two years of work, the store is open, operational, and thriving in a way that has exceeded anything I could have imagined. We’ve welcomed an incredible number of customers, built an exceptional staff, and created a space that people are already returning to and making their own.
Building something like this happens in stages. You start with an idea, you do the work to bring it to life, and then you open the doors. What comes next is the real test, running it every day and sustaining what’s been created.
We are now firmly in that phase. From the very beginning, the plan was that once we reached this point, I would transition out of my role in the business and the bookstore would move forward under Rich’s sole leadership. This transition is not a change in direction. It is the completion of the original plan.
The Denver Book Society was never meant to be about one person. It was about creating a true community space in the heart of Denver, a place where books, conversation, coffee, wine and connection could come together.
That vision only became real because of the people involved in bringing it to life, most notably my cofounder, Rich Garvin.
Rich is not only the heart of the Denver Book Society, he is a proven entrepreneur and civic leader with a deep commitment to the literary and cultural life of this community. Prior to launching the bookstore, he built and operated a successful conference management company before turning his focus to philanthropy and literary advocacy.
He currently serves as the director of Aspen Words, a program of the Aspen Institute dedicated to encouraging writers, inspiring readers and connecting people through the power of stories. He is also deeply engaged in Denver’s cultural community, serving as a board member and development chair of Opera Colorado and as a supporter of the Denver Art Museum’s Annual Fund Leadership Campaign and Contemporary Collectors Circle.
Equally important, Rich is the sole financial investor in the Denver Book Society and the person committed to its long-term success. He brings both the vision and the operational discipline required to lead the bookstore forward. He is the one shaping it, guiding it,\ and carrying it forward, and should be recognized as its sole owner and steward.
I’ve spent the last several years trying to build and contribute in this city and across the state. Part of doing that is a willingness to step into the public arena. When you do that, you accept that sometimes you will be misunderstood, mischaracterized, or simply get things wrong.
At times, those dynamics have been unfairly attached to the Denver Book Society and to Rich. That has been difficult to see, and it is something I take seriously. The bookstore should never carry that weight, and I want to make sure it does not moving forward.
That is also why the intention was never for me to be a long-term bookseller here, and why I was so fortunate to find a partner in Rich, who wants to do this work for the long term.
Because of that, it’s important to me that the bookstore be understood on its own terms, under Rich’s leadership.
Westword.com frequently publishes commentaries on matters of interest to the community…and the community has certainly been interested in Denver Book Society and Kwame Spearman’s role. See Denver Book Society’s Instagram on the shift. If you’d like to comment on this piece (or send your own commentary), the best address is editorial@westword.com.