An Interview with Ben Koenig of The Country Bookshop

We present the first of a series of lively articles about the Vermont Antiquarian Booksellers Association,  an interview with longtime Vermont bookseller and musician, Benjamin Koenig.  The interview was conducted by Josette Anne Lyders,  and was originally published in VABA News in 2000.

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The Vermont Antiquarian Booksellers Association (VABA) began in 1977 with sixteen members. This small group of booksellers wanted to attract more potential buyers to come to Vermont. They saw the value in developing an association that could present a brochure listing all Vermont book dealers - a cooperative "marketing" plan for getting booksellers' names and locations before the public.

Today, the association has more than 65 members, whose ranks continue to grow. In the fall of 1999, VABA welcomed four new booksellers during its November business meeting at The Country Bookshop in Plainfield. At this enthusiastic and very well attended meeting, VABA's host was Benjamin Koenig, owner of The Country Bookshop, and one of the founders of the association....