I noticed a new, rather generic sign for “BOOKS” outside the Alley on Broadway tonight, and popped upstairs to see what was stirring. There I found Summer, the charming owner of Pilot Books, a new bookstore specializing in journals, poetry and other small-run or small-publisher volumes.

The collection is diverse and fascinating, covering the edges of the alterna-mainstream (i.e., quite a few McSweeney’s volumes and authors) all the way through to the unimaginably obscure. I’m no expert on this area of the book publishing world, but the only other place I can remember seeing books like this in Seattle is Open Books on N. 45th near the University.

Summer used to have books for sale in the Anne Bonney, and she’s popped up here and there a few times since, but this is her first time running her own show. She’s only been open for a week and a day, and doesn’t have a web presence yet that I can find, but word is already burbling on the internet… it’s neat to have another sort of book available on the Hill, and my hat is off to Summer for braving this wintry economic climate by opening a new business.

She also has a lending library upstairs. Go take a look!