Opened in Feb. 2014, Mountain Fold Books is a non-profit bookstore specializing in small press publications. “I love Mountain Fold because it gives me hope. I love the vibes,” said Arielle Mari, a Colorado College graduate who currently works at Colorado College.
The bookstore, located on Costilla Street, currently runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. However, starting in February, Mountain Folds books will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day.
Hans Sayles, the bookstore manager, is also a Colorado College graduate. While she has only been working at Mountain Folds Bookstore for a few months, it has already become a major part of her life.
Tara Labovich: How did Mountain Fold start?
Han Sayles: We’ve been open for about a year, and Mountain Fold was started by Marina Ekler, who’s a professor at UCCS, and Jonathan Fey, who was a student there. They wanted to open a non-profit space that was based in small press poetry. So what we have here is poetry from across the country from different small presses.
TL: What is a small press?
HS: Small presses deliver a more meticulous and curated work. It’s about creating a book as art. And here, you can interact with the books. I think the feeling is that we have very few times where we interact with books anymore – we order lots of things from Amazon, and buy cheap books. Here, the curation of books is important.
Along with collecting small press books, [Ekler and Fey] wanted a space in which they could host poetry readings and literary events. We have a small art gallery and do readings almost every weekend. We just opened the coffee shop. It’s an extension of the bookstore, and all of the money goes back into the books.
TL: What is the connection with CC?
HS: I am a CC grad, I graduated in May. One of my goals of working here was to connect CC students with the community of artists, poets, and activists here in Colorado Springs.
TL: How do you cultivate that connection?
HS: By getting them in here for events like poetry readings, galleries, inviting them to get coffee and talking to other people in the shop. Engaging them, in general.
It’s a huge process obviously, but we want to make that connection. I’m going to start going to students and offering them the space to host events. Any students should feel free to reach out to me if they’re interested.
TL: How do you think your experience at CC impacted your work?
HS: I think my education at CC has informed what I want to curate and how I’m going to go about doing that. I was a comparative literature major, so I’ve always been interested in literature, especially experimental literature, which I wrote my thesis on. I wanted to learn about how third spaces emerge from graphic novels and such, and I think that’s what this place does. Create space for art and literature in the subtext of a hostile environment.
TL: Do you have a favorite part of the space?
HS: I love being able to create any event that I want. For example, I really want to see more queer culture in Colorado Springs, so we’re doing a queer open mic night. A CC student actually initiated that, and now we have 80 people coming.
This is a really great time to discover us because we have so many cool events coming up. I’m also just about to go to the LA Art Book Fair and completely restock.
TL: Do you see any upcoming changes?
HS: I want to see more consistent community interaction and events. We’ve had a lot of one-time poetry readings, but I want to do more things like Art Night. Things that create a group and movement throughout, that help people build connections and relationships with one another and motivate each other through art.
Like I said, I’m restocking the bookshelf and I want to have more graphic novels and feminist texts and more representation. It’s basically going to become your favorite feminist bookstore.
TL: What makes this place unique?
HS: There’s definitely nothing like this in Colorado Springs. The books that we have are the kinds of books that you can’t access at a normal bookstore, and that’s why we’re here. We’re trying to put these texts in people’s hands. I think it’s also because we’re really malleable.
We have a vision, but we’re always open to hosting events that people want to see come to life. We also have really great coffee. If I didn’t work here, I would still come here everyday. It feels so creative and comfortable.
Especially women have told me that they feel really comfortable here. I think that’s just because I’m trying to help cultivate an environment where I’m open, but everyone’s solitude is protected. This is a really safe space.
All upcoming events are posted on the Mountain Fold website.
Tara Labovich
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