Sometimes, the most interesting parts of a town can be found in slightly out-of-the-way corners the locals know best. It’s easy to see how Parlor, a recently opened shop that’s “a place to meet, see, buy or sell books and other artifacts,” might quickly become such a prize in the Village of New Paltz. Proprietor Kevin Kelly sees his new venue as a “culture-based field of dreams,” a vision which is quickly coalescing despite the challenges of a global pandemic.
One important piece of evidence is the frequency with which people say “wow” as they peer through the door for the first time. Tucked back from the road a few steps off Main Street in the brightly colored little building at 8 South Chestnut Street next to Bacchus, Parlor gives off a vibe that invites one to stop in and browse an amazing variety of collectible books and vintage recordings, peppered with local art and rare artifacts. At a time when performance art is stifled by social distance, Kelly is also finding ways to make live music and the like available while working within public-health guidelines.
Parlor is a cozy but mutable space. Other than bookshelves around the perimeter and a counter space to one side, “Everything is movable,” pointed out Ashlee Starr, whom Kelly describes as chief operating officer of the fledgling business. It is she who “curates and distills my ideas” and gets them implemented.
Several couches are arranged facing inward, providing space enough for a handful of people to sit and talk while maintaining some distance. At the back was a makeshift stage with microphones and a drum kit, and among the bookshelves and stands stood an easel on which a painting had been crafted during a recent live performance.
Books are just the beginning
Kelly has been buying and selling high-end collectible books for almost 20 years, beginning at a venerable dealer’s in Manhattan. Opening a business in New Paltz that connected neighbors here with that world was a longtime dream. Kelly had only been looking for an apartment when he learned that the prior tenant’s business was being relocated and that the standalone 8 North Chestnut was coming on the market as of January.
Recognizing an opportunity to fulfill that dream, Kelly worked out a lease agreement. He thought long and hard about how to bring books of a certain quality to New Paltz.
Not surprisingly, the business plan did not anticipate being ordered to shut down even as Parlor was first being opened. With no opportunity to develop brand awareness or much of a following, Kelly realized that adaptions such as curbside pickup would have limited value. A quick pivot was needed to focus on online sales in the short term.
Kelly and Starr adapted the shop to this new reality. The counters set off a kitchen-style space, but plans to serve coffee or prepackaged snacks are on hold. Instead of working to secure those sorts of approvals, the pair have focused on ways to serve customers safely. There may come a time in the future when coffee-shop qualities are added to the mix, but not today.
While the bulk of Kelly’s experience has been buying and selling rare and unique books, such as original copies of the Federalist Papers, only in a large city such a New York can one turn a profit only trading in such high-end merchandise. Parlor’s books selections are broader, and include first editions from classic literature.
“Holding a first edition, you’re holding something owned and read by people before they knew it was great,” Kelly explained. “There’s something magic in that.”
Kelly had hoped to find synergy between Parlor and Jack’s Rhythms — having been a regular there — but that iconic music shop was shuttered forever during the pandemic. Rare and unusual spoken-word recordings were already part of the Parlor mix — specifically, Kelly is fond of works read by their author . In response to customer interest Kelly has added some musical selections on vinyl, as well. There is a natural nexus of rare books and music recordings, and while including music was not part of the original intent, Kelly is exploring the possibilities. “I’d have rather that New Paltz has three book stores, three music stores, and an art gallery.”
An events space, too
With its flexible decor, Parlor is intended to be space for the arts, be it as an art gallery or a low-key music venue. Kelly’s concept would make it a place where one might find “commercially non-viable art” such as live meditation music, strains of which already waft out the open front door on some sunny afternoons. The proprietor plays the sitar and is joined by one or two other musicians — spaced six feet apart — making it possible for a very small number to enjoy from inside. As long as the weather holds, others may gather out front and rotate within in groups, provided everyone has a face covering securely in place and everyone coming inside is from the same household.
The improvisational jazz musicians who have graced several spaces along Main Street over the years might be persuaded to take up their Sunday jams at Parlor. Negotiations are ongoing. These live events are never publicized before the scheduled date, in order to hold down attendance and then only via the Facebook page and Instagram feed. Weather permitting, at times the musicians themselves come out front.
Kelly is serious about giving space for events that might not be commercially viable, suggesting that a live reading from Canterbury Tales might fit the bill. That tone is reflected in the assortment of items on the shelves, which included a curated collection of nuclear-fallout material that ranges from government guides on how to live past the end of the world to the comedic books that came later, as the threat started getting the ironic treatment.
Another collection Kelly hopes to sell as one unit is of yoga, and includes a number of early instructional recordings that were marketed with the discipline first became popular in the United States in the Sixties. Another assortment focuses on propaganda produced in this country over the decades. Today’s problems often have historical precedent.
There’s also a wide selection of books about racism and race relations, supplemented by a copy of Negro Folk Songs by Leadbelly and a signed picture of Millie and Christine McKoy, conjoined twins born into slavery who entertained in sideshows prior to emancipation.
Despite being a collector and seller of books, Kelly is not an avid reader, but still has favorite selections. These include Canterbury Tales, Gulliver’s Travels, Age of Reason, and Why Cats Paint, a serious academic treatise exploring the titular question.
Some of what’s on offer comes by way of live streaming through those social-media accounts, such as open-mic nights (which are entirely virtual), acid jazz sessions (musicians must arrange ahead of time to join in), and guided meditations. It’s quite different than the original expectation of jamming in as many people as the fire would allow, but that’s pandemic life.
Kelly and Starr say that they are grateful that the patrons they’ve received thus far have been considerate about restrictions on the number of people and the need to wear face coverings. “We haven’t had any mask resistance,” Kelly reported. “I’ve seen it elsewhere and heard about it.” But it’s not come up thus far at Parlor.
The name “Parlor” was selected to convey something more dynamic than shelf upon shelf of dusty books, and the tone of the place is anything but dusty. Readers should instead turn off Main Street at Flames, walk past Bacchus, and seek out this out-of-the-way corner personally.
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