Photos by Marian Dalere
Big fun this past Thursday when Bird & Beckett hosted a party for the neighborhood with free beer & snacks and live music (The Potrero Hillbillies with intermission piano by Eric Shifrin). At the center of the festivities was Soo Emens, a partner in the POD design studio across the street from the bookshop and a friend to the Hillbillies. It was a celebration of the “Soomunity.”No charge to the attendees and free beer! It worked! The neighbors turned out in droves.
The good folks at Gialina even sent over several pizzas, which were quickly consumed, and Shane Ryan brought several bottles of wine from Glen Park Station, also promptly drained. We had a full house of long-time and new neighbors alike, making each other’s acquaintance and deepening casual ties forged in the canyon, at the market, the bakery, the cheese shop, the dry cleaner, the library, the BART platform… all the usual spots.
Rashid at the Cheese Boutique and Janet at Canyon Market also generously helped make it happen. Bird & Beckett wants particularly to thank those who tossed money in the buckets to help the shop defray the cost of paying the musicians a guaranteed wage. They’re kind of sticklers about that at Bird & Beckett–that “paying the musicians” concept.
Soo went home happy, as did the musicians and the neighbors old and new!
The bookshop plans to do a neighborhood “Free Beer” party, celebrating with a local merchant or Glen Park resident, every third month on the third Thursday of the month. Look for the next Free Beer event to take place June 15th, celebrating with Tony from Critter Fritters, another fine band and more free beer!