Local poets find reason to rhyme at new antique bookshop in East Northport

If all the world’s a stage, then poetry lovers have a new space in East Northport that serves antique book lovers, too.

The whimsically named Dog-Eared Bard's Book Shop, an independent store that sells new, used and antiquarian books is now open for business. As a bonus the store has designated space where literature lovers can showcase their talent.

"We’re a combination of book sales, events, seminars and talks," said James P. Wagner, 35, a Northport resident and owner of the shop.

In 2010 Wagner founded The Bards Initiative, a group of literary enthusiasts who roamed from venue to venue for performances and camaraderie. He had long wished for a permanent space for book launches, events, readings, seminars, and a place where the group could gather, but there was no urgency, he said, because there were plenty of locations for such programs.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

"We have a very thriving poetry community here on Long Island and all the places we used to do poetry at went belly up because of COVID," he said. "The libraries and cafes stopped doing events, so it seemed the right time for us to have our own dedicated event space."

Tucked behind a storefront on Larkfield Road near Pulaski Road, the shop is located in a former nail salon. Wagner said he knew he had found the right location because he envisioned what had at once served as an elevated mani pedi area would work as a stage.

Since its Oct. 15 opening, in addition to Wagner, poets who have performed at the shop include Alex Edwards-Bourdrez and Tara Lamberti, Wagner said.

Wagner also is the owner of Local Gems Press, a publishing company whose primary focus is publishing poetry. He said his love for older books started when he was young when he would go to swap meets and church and craft fairs where he would rummage for books.

"Inevitably there were boxes of used books, so I would go through them and it would be like a treasure hunt never knowing what you’ll find," Wagner said. "So, I wanted to create a little bit of that environment for people to enjoy."

The store is constantly revolving its inventory. Notable items for sale include a seven-volume set chronicling World War I from 1921 and poetry by Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns from 1839. New works are primarily independent volumes from local poets, Wagner said.

For East Northport resident Cynthia Neuendorf visiting the shop at least once a week with her three children is a regular activity.

"To have a store like this available for myself and children is a treasure," she said. "But also, for the community it’s a gathering place."

Wagner hopes the community will view his bookstore as a meeting place.

"Bookstores, of course, encourage and foster the idea of reading," he said. "The books of course are important, but the community building aspect is really important to us also."

As for the name, Wagner said, it’s an homage to a former book shop in Northport Village with a similar name that he frequented in the early aughts.

"Also dog-eared because it’s mostly used books," Wagner said.