Does Porter Square Books Rock?

That's the basic question here.

I mean, I just got back from Powell's City of the Books, the mother of all Indie Bookstores, and I can happily report that that place rocks. Hard. Elliot Bay Books in Seattle -- they rock. River Run up in Portsmouth. Yup. Rock.

But Porter Square? I'm not sure yet. They're so new, and so clean, and so mall-bound.

So here's my official list of five thing Porter Square Books can do to insure Rock Status:

1. In-store medley of Ike Reilly tunes on the PA

2. Open bar during readings

3. Pot brownies in the cafe

4. Required chest tattoos for all employees

5. Did I mention the open bar during readings?

Any other suggestions most welcome, particularly in advance of my July 28 reading.

Hold on loosely, but don't let go,

Steve Almond