Hi. I'm Andrew. I own New England's oldest map store because last year I moved across the country after an old guy retired and gave it to me Willy Wonka-style. Visit my store in Rhode Island. https://www.mapcenter.com
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This is wonderful to hear, and yet another reason for a trip to RI. Best wishes to the store! @morgantown.bsky.social @msmango.bsky.social @randomcran.bsky.social
Oh wow--thank you!! That makes complete sense (and I figured that it might also have been sold). But I'll send a note through the Contact page. No rush, and thanks again!
I lost sight of where to (re-)find your profile on bsky, and this is probably the first time I’ll be able to search for someone on social media with keywords as general (and yet specific) as “Willy Wonka.” 😂
Greetings, Keeper of Maps, Master of New England’s Oldest Store!
May your journey be filled with the wisdom of ancient lands, the thrill of discovery, and the joy of adventures, both near and far. Here's to smooth travels, rare finds, and the occasional cosmic map that charts a path to the stars!
Congratulations! I am from RI and love maps! How did I not know about this store? I have moved to Italy, but on my next visit home, I will be stopping in!
I love the idea of a map store. Maps are so fun. Google is amazing but I still really miss an entire book full of maps that you needed for a cross-country trip.
A map store! Love it. During a long term illness, I put a bright world map on the wall next to my bed. Waking and staring at that map made my mind wander to wonderful places. Plus Korea is WAY up there and Argentina WAY down there. 😉
Please tell us more about being given a map store?? Did you beat out four other undeserving geography-enthusiasts who were then subjected to cruel and ironic punishments??
Okay this is fascinating. Like, the previous owner didn't really agree with your philosophy and vision for the business but also saw that you'd be the best custodian for the store. It fully feels like the plot of a twee indie film.
I really hope you decided to bring Grandpa George into this venture. He deserves at least a day out of that unsavory bed too and he seems the bookish type. I bet he loves maps.
Don't know about that since it's somewhat tedious, but you can surely make one for yourself with little more than the invested time. Also, there probably isn't much of a market for expensive kitschy disco-ball globes.
Hey it’s you! I stopped in last month looking for road maps of Canada and picked up the Atlas of Poetic Botany! I hope you were able to find that book of Bermuda maps I told you about!
Andrew, my good mappy friend, there are some books I would love to order from you to support your amazing adventure, but they are sold out. Are you restocking anytime soon? And dang- I’m on the Other Coast, so can only online shop.
I will watch your site, thank you. I am a lifelong map fan and would love to support your shop. And if you ever come across a map of bison (buffalo) traces in Notth America, please let me know! 🤠
I'll see you soon Andrew. My wife (a RI native) and I are fleeing the fetid hell-swamp of South Carolina and moving back home soon.
Looking forward to it.
This is a very very cool story. Is there a way to let me know if, by some weird chance, you ever get your hands on an Euler atlas or a map from one? I have one very very specific map interest.
What does an ordinary civilian do at a map store? I'm just trying to imagine and while it seems delightful I'm not quite sure what to do without a specific need.
Idk man, soak it in?
In all honesty, most folks don't need a navigational aid, chart or map. They like maps because they tell stories about places. And people are pretty into their places.
Andrew, apologies if it's been asked, but do you deal in / see often many regional raised relief maps? There's a raised relief world map on your web store, but couldn't tell if that's a one-off or representative of something you'd generally seek out.
Your store sounds great. I read maps like people read books. I used to order many maps from the U.S. Geological Survey office when I was a kid. I still have many of them.
I just read a chapter in Susan Orlean's The Library Book about a guy who collected over 100,000 maps which were donated to the Los Angeles library after he died.
So happy to've come across your post about the map store. I love the expanse of an open paper map to see what lies ahead and surrounding areas when traveling. I've found so many interesting hiking areas and quaint towns that I otherwise wouldn't have seen on my phone. I'll visit the store next fall.
I never thought I could get more aroused than I do over bookstores. I was wrong. He said "map store" and I found a new level of feral desire I didn't realize existed.
I’m on my phone and can’t link it, but there is an xkcd comic that tells you how to determine the age of a map or globe that you should probably print out.
I’m so glad the Map Center lives on! As a former Providence resident, I always worried this is one of the places that would eventually fall through the cracks.
I mean, if they are for sale. But I seriously think my wife and I might need to take a trip there. Maps, scales, plotters and all sorts of map stuff is what I see on the website. Would it be weird to go from CO to RI just to check out a map store?
There were a lot! The original ad got hundreds of replies, some from overseas. It came down to about a dozen people who met in person and talked it out. Ultimately I won out.
Oh yeah, thanks, couldn’t remember. Got my laminated Michelin wall map there. Hope I get up to RI soon. I love map stores, and we don’t have one in Pittsburgh. If or when you’re selling somewhere on the internet I’d love to get something.
Hi Andrew, I just went to your website and ordered a book for my husband for Christmas. We weren’t going to do physical gifts for Christmas so thanks for messing that up with your stupid store full of wonderful things.
Andrew I would love to visit your great looking store one day - and I see that tucked behind Jake’s excellent t book there it looks like you have my Iconic Transit Maps in your arms too!
....GPS works great on mountains. Like, mountains are best case scenarios for GPS. If you download the map data to your GPS device before you go you should have what you need. But then again, I'd be happy to sell you a map!
He found a golden map in a chocolate bar along with several other kids and after a horrifying experience of every other kid falling victim to their own mappy desires he was the victor
Comments
I love maps!
Your post reminded me of the book, and I would buy it from your store if possible!
You're awesome.
May your journey be filled with the wisdom of ancient lands, the thrill of discovery, and the joy of adventures, both near and far. Here's to smooth travels, rare finds, and the occasional cosmic map that charts a path to the stars!
Everyone should check out the rest of your story on the shop’s web page…the old guy was the 3rd owner! Like the Dread Pirate Roberts?
And then check out all the amazing things in the online store!
We are headed back to Baltimore tomorrow, so I will have to pop back in on my next trip up. My spouse has fame here so it is a regular thing
(I'd love to be your bookkeeper)
From American Public Media this
is MarketPlace
CARTOGRAPHY
He makes amazing, thoroughly researched maps!
https://pronghornmaps.com/
Fantastic friend!
There are physical map stores out there in the world?
😲
Congratulations and enjoy your store.
Love them all. One of these days, I’m going to wallpaper a library with them 😊
Looking forward to it.
In all honesty, most folks don't need a navigational aid, chart or map. They like maps because they tell stories about places. And people are pretty into their places.
Damn you, sir. 🧐
I never thought I could get more aroused than I do over bookstores. I was wrong. He said "map store" and I found a new level of feral desire I didn't realize existed.
/me adds to list of fun roadtrip-worthy stuff.
Silver line to south station
MBTA providence line to Pawtucket/Central falls.
Can't be more the a 7 hour trip!
What a neat turn for you! Enjoy your strange new life.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0340377/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
I'm sure he has put it in good hands, and next time I find myself up that way will definitely make a special trip.
When is the musical?
but that still doesn't explain how you ended up owning
the store.
oh and there was an oomap loomap dance scene