Carmichael's is delighted to host a wine and cheese reception followed by a screening and discussion of the film Paperback Dreams. The film traces the history of two independent bookstores in the San Francisco area from their founding in the 1950s, through five tumultuous decades. The film highlights the rise of chain stores and the internet, demonstrating the impact of these trends on independent businesses of all kinds.

From the firebombing of Cody's in 1989 for selling The Satanic Verses to the rescue of Kepler's by its loyal customers in 2005 in a scene right out of It's a Wonderful Life, Paperback Dreams is much more than the story of two bookstores. It provides much food for thought on the relationship between bookstores and their communities. It is an eye-opening, but never preachy film. Please join us for a glass of wine and what we hope will be an interesting discussion on the future of independent businesses in the age of e-everything, big box stores, and the behemoth Amazon.