Today courageous Greenwood independent bookstore, cafe and devoted third place for artists and old ladies talking shit about their husbands, Couth Buzzard Books, was decorated with a long-overdue Purple Heart medal for its injuries sustained in combat with Amazon.
“For decades, this mighty little independent bookstore stood tall against both physical and digital attacks by Amazon Books to continue selling both new books and used books with the perfect amount of floppiness already broken-in for optimum reading experiences,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden as she awarded the medal. “Even more amazing is how bravely Couth Buzzard did it while simultaneously fighting often equally devious attacks to its used-books business model from local gangs of Little Free Libraries.”
The 35-year-old independent bookstore’s call of duty during combat has gone far beyond selling books to also providing a life-changing third place for many community groups and artists who often hold events and performances in the store’s café space.
“Do you have any idea how many nights this little store has endured the kind of amateur performances that help artists of all ages and walks of life eventually build the confidence to become better performers somewhere else?” said Frank Neighbors, President of the Friends of the Buzzard group that’s helped the store weather its darkest days. “Without the valor of places like this bookstore, I shudder to think how much of the community built around it would have to consider doing something desperate to socialize, like going to church.”
At press time, Couth Buzzard Books owner Theo Dzielak was already using the new medal in the back of the café to hit on all the ladies still venting to each other about their husbands.
