It's a tiny bookshop. In a basement. On a side street.
Civilized. Charming.
And now, aggressive.
Joseph Fox Bookshop at 1724 Sansom St. in Center City is trying to make itself visible amid the proliferating of bookstore-chain outlets in the city and the suburbs.
By staging author receptions.
At the Atwater Kent Museum. At the Balch Institute. At the Philadelphia Art Alliance.
With a touch of elegance.
``Without any invidious comparisons'' with author readings at chain bookstores, Michael Fox said recently, ``we do it without sticking [the authors] behind a table near a coffee shop. . . .
``It's more of a party atmosphere, more of an art-gallery-opening atmosphere. . . .
``It gets us attention. It makes people aware of us. At the same time, we actually sell books at these events.''
In all the years since his father and mother opened the shop a couple of doors away from the present location in 1951, the Foxes had never held an author reception.
After Michael began running the store for his parents seven or eight years ago, ``there were a few parties for authors, at my house.''
Then last November, he linked up with the Art Alliance and, through June, staged five there, mostly for local authors - architects Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi, art-gallery owner Helen Drutt, retired Penn professor Ian McHarg.
``They were a definite success,'' Michael Fox said. ``I sold a lot of books.''
Since the beginning of this month, he has staged two and scheduled more.
``Over the summer,'' he said, ``I worked very hard to line up people. Many of them are local.''
Tonight at 7:30, the author of 200 children's books, Tomie dePaola, will be at the Art Alliance, 251 S. 18th St., for a reception and signing of his new work, Strega Nona, Her Story, published by Putnam.
``There are a couple of people from out of town,'' such as dePaola, lined up for future Fox receptions. ``He's a world-famous illustrator. I consider getting him a real coup.''
Fox wants more.
``I hope to attract people from out of town, to put Philadelphia back on the [book-signing] tour,'' he said.
Though such prominent authors as Calvin Trillin and A.S. Byatt have been at book signings in the region in recent years, Fox said, ``Philadelphia is really off the tour for a lot of big-name authors.''
``What I'm trying to do is - I don't know if it's enough - by offering these people a nicer venue than a mere book signing, to try to encourage some [authors] to come.''
