Minding the Store: A Big Story about a Small Business

I love looking at Fish’s Eddy for it’s unique items. When I heard that the owner had written a fun, illustrated book about the stores origins I thought, how fun and ordered it. As I was reading I couldn’t believe I’d spent $13 on this. It’s just...awful. Written like a first-grader, with no storyline. The message: we started a store, tried to make it big, hired 3 incompetent people to help us and then realized we could do it on our own.The addition of their mothers into the “plot” and Julie’s foray into stand-up comedy are pointless and simply lengthen the book from 24 frustrating minutes to 30. The couple accidentally have a baby, swear they’ll be more careful and then accidentally have another are pretty inappropriate...but solidify the conclusion that Fish’s Eddy success was a lucky “accident”.What a disappointment.

...by a perfectly lovely and talented woman. Our family knew Julie and her family more than 20 years ago when they lived in our building and her new born son cried at 2 AM into our new born daughter's baby monitor. Julie and Dave were--and obviously still are--two of the most creative and compassionate people we knew. The graphic novel format is perfect, contains much humor NYC style, and also a lot of moving vignettes about the highs and lows of managing a thriving retail business. Congrats Julie and Ben on a terrific book.

I really enjoyed this book. It is so unique in the way the story is not only told through words but also with illustrations on every page. I learned of the store, Fishs Eddy, on a trip to NYC. This book tells the story of family and starting a business with all the ups and downs that go along with it. A very lighthearted look at their story. I loved it very much

I loved this book. But I can understand how someone who knows nothing about Fishs Eddy and/or has never been there might find it boring. But for regular customers and fans, it's a must.

I liked that it felt like an adult cartoon book-cartoon in that every page is illustrated (by her son...so cool!) but an easy entertaining read on the trials and tribulations of one couples small business that became a place that people treasured. I enjoyed it!