Poetry with Thax
Rare and unique books registered with the Advanced Book Exchange, www.abebooks.com.
I´ve known Joe and Myopic Bookstore since 1990. Way back then when he first opened the store over on Damen Avenue under Damen El station. Back then it was Myopic Books and Earwax Cafe, both in the same space. But it didn´t last long. The historic spot for Myopic (where it was located for almost a decade) was also on Damen but just a bit furthur south of the El stop kittycorner to Qvimby´s Qveer Bookstore. Next door were junkies... heh. You´d be hard pressed to find a crack house anywhere east of Western these days.
They were a good pair those two (Qvimby´s and Myopic, not Myopic and the junkies). Teamed up they were virtually unstoppable. They lent a lot to that early Wicker Park atmosphere.
I remember a hot summer night back in 1993 when they celebrated their 2nd aniversary in that location and it was also the 33rd birthday of Steven, the owner of Qvimby´s. Math was playing at Myopic while Steven was publically recieving his 33 lashes. I danced among the bookstacks to the wierd Chinese music of the band. Jodie Mechanic was on percussion. Man, it was great.
Those days are gone forever, have been for quite some time, never the less, Joe´s still there in the neighborhood. Last I spoke to him in the summer of 2001, he was talking about selling Myopic off to someone else. Guess he hasn´t done it yet.
