A sunburst acoustic
June
I know three chords, and it has heard all of them.
The pieces
Every piece from every night, newest first. Every drawing stands in for a photo.
Night No. 3
Sleepy Dog Guitars
Guitars·eleven pieces·a Wednesday, after closing·See the shop’s page →
Sleepy Dog Guitars
The shop · Night No. 3
A small parlor guitar
Walt
It sat under my aunt’s bed for thirty years.
Read its story →A red electric
Dee
The first loud thing I ever owned.
A twelve-string
Marcus
It takes ten minutes to tune, and I’ve never minded.
A nylon-string classical
Ines
My father played it on the porch every Sunday.
A hollow-body with f-holes
Hal
It came with a set list still taped to the side.
A lap steel
Priya
It was in a neighbor’s garage, and I had to ask what it was.
A left-handed electric
Tobias
I played right-handed guitars upside down until this one.
A short-scale bass
Ruthie
Four strings, one band, eleven years.
A resonator
Ken
Loud enough to play on the porch in a storm.
A kit guitar
Alma
My daughter and I built it at the kitchen table.
Only Walt’s parlor guitar opens so far. The rest get pages of their own once their stories are written.
Night No. 2
Paper Sleeve Records
Records·nine pieces·a Thursday, after closing·See the shop’s page →
Paper Sleeve Records
The shop · Night No. 2
A record of birdsongs
Mae
My grandfather fell asleep to it every night.
Read its story →A box of jukebox singles
Bev
They came out of a diner the week it closed.
My mother’s first record
Rosa
She played it until the label wore thin.
A live album
Gus
The ticket stub is still inside the sleeve.
A stack of seven-inch singles
Nell
One from every summer since I was twelve.
A movie soundtrack
Otis
We saw the movie four times at the drive-in.
A record with a hand-drawn cover
Lou
My brother drew it when the real one tore.
A holiday album
Faye
It only comes out one month a year.
A polka record
Hank
Every wedding in my family ended with it.
Only Mae’s record of birdsongs opens so far. The rest get pages of their own once their stories are written.
Night No. 1
Top Bunk Games
Video games·ten pieces·a Tuesday, after closing·See the shop’s page →
Top Bunk Games
The shop · Night No. 1
A strategy guide with notes in the margins
Lena
My sister and I wrote in it all winter, in two colors of pen.
Read its story →A memory card with one save on it
Cal
My brother’s game is still on it. I’ve never written over it.
The console my parents gave us
Gil
They hid it in the coat closet, and we found it in a day.
A handheld with a cracked screen
Wen
I dropped it on the bus in sixth grade, and it still turns on.
A controller with a long cord
Opal
It reached the couch, and not one inch farther.
A cartridge with my name taped on it
Rocco
My mom taped my name on it so my cousins would give it back.
A shoebox of cartridges
Sid
Every one has the same stranger’s name written on it.
The only game at my grandma’s house
Marty
We played it every Thanksgiving, because it was all she had.
A cartridge I finished once
Yusuf
It took me the whole summer I was eleven.
A pair of controllers
Duane
One was mine and one was my dad’s. He was never any good, and he played every night.
Only Lena’s strategy guide opens so far. The rest get pages of their own once their stories are written.
Your shop’s picture goes here.
Host one at your shop
It’s always free. You pick the night and invite your regulars.
Tell me about your shop →Join in
Two ways to be part of the next one.
I’m always looking for collectors and hosts, so get on the list here. I match folks up with nights.
Want me to host one for your group? Tell me what you want to do, and I’ll make it happen.
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