Opening day

Today in New York, Jigsaw opened its doors. I wish proprietor benjones the best of luck. If his taste in work equals the comics, prose and music he's put out over the years, New Yorkers will be very lucky bastards indeed (he ended up buying a few copies of my own chapbook, so his judgement is still in quesiton as of this writing).

I interviewed mrjones a couple of years ago when I was just getting into freelancing. The path my psuedo-career took I owe in large part to him. I haven't given him enough props, truth be told. This is a way to make ammends.

On Jigsaw, via mrjones' website: "It’s a gallery, featuring affordable work from new undiscovered artists. It’s a shop, bookshelves chock full of indie press magazines, self-published novels, CDs, zines, and the cream of the crop of small press and mini-comics.

"Moreover, it’s a lounge, a forum, a place with good music and comfortable seats and a constant supply of refreshing beverages where the pioneers of independent media and art can meet each other, plan new projects, greet the people who want to experience their work."

I don't live in New York, so I can't offer a review of the shop. But given the photos I've seen on the official benjones site, I'm jealous as hell of the people who can just walk in and browse the shop after work today.

Anyone who wants to give me a report of day one and isn't benjones (he's working on it later tonight, I'm sure), post in my comments section or email me.

Fellow poets and other artists, I urge you check out the website ant to inquire benjones (professionally--mentioning me gets you no special pass) about carrying your own merchandise. Mind you, I also urge you to post a permanent link to your web pages, whet. benjones deserves all the free exposure he can get.

I'm rooting for you ben.