Down the Rabbit Hole on the River's Edge

To me, White Rabbit is a comfort space, almost like a portal that has doors to many worlds. Like falling down the rabbit hole but instead of falling, it's gently floating down! I have been visiting since I was in eighth grade but once I was able to drive around on my own, or whenever I'm lost, I always found myself wandering back to the little bookshop. The energy Mrs. Keena creates is friendly, welcoming and peaceful compared to the what is just outside her doors. My favorite memories are of bringing friends, acquaintances and family over to show them White Rabbit. Almost everyone I've brought over has found something for them in the shop. Every time I meet a reader, I've recommended White Rabbit to them and I've always heard wonderful feedback about their visits as well. Some friends and I take time off of our days to have a Friends Day and visit the White Rabbit as a gift to ourselves and we never leave without a smile on our faces. We're also very fond o...

Nestled along the Durango River Trail, just north of the Power Plant Museum, is one of the quirkiest, fun, and maybe magical mystical places still left in Durango, White Rabbit Books and Curiosities. I find it to indeed be a trip down the rabbit hole whenever I enter the shop which is filled floor to ceiling with used books of all genres from classic to New Age, popular reads to obscure finds, whatever one’s interest, you would be hard pressed to not find anything that would interest you. Over the years, whenever I have stopped by the White Rabbit, sometimes just to say hi to my friend and owner, Keena, or maybe to trade in some books I need to part with, or just to browse, I have never been able to leave without finding at least one book that was calling out my name. When I go to pay for my new literary treasure, my senses are always intrigued by the array of blown glass, crystals, jewelry, and other unique items of interest that surround the cash register. After getting my free i...

Have you ever moved to a new town and found yourself alone, not knowing anyone? That was me, back during the summer of 2018. New to both retirement and Durango, I decided to start walking around town with my camera. I found interesting storefronts and business signs to photograph. I was looking for something unique that I could photograph and give to the businesses as a means of saying hello. I wasn’t looking for money, but instead I was looking for a way to meet people and make friends. One day, I decided to take a walk along the beautiful Durango Hike and Bike Trail. This amazing trail leads you through a beautiful area of town, and a large portion of the trail is located alongside the Animas River. It was along the river portion of the trail that I found myself fascinated with the beauty of the river and the wonderful shops and businesses along the trail. The walk was very relaxing, and I really enjoyed seeing all the colorful rafts and kayaks floating the river. After walking ...

White Rabbit Books & Curiosities just wouldn't be the same without the little plot of ground outside its door. Nestled beside the Animas River, a grandfatherly old ponderosa pine and a handful of stately cottonwoods preside over the place, along with ever-present crows and magpies who converse with passersby. In the summertime, sunflowers and poppies and other bursts of seasonal color are splashed here and there, and four boulders at the garden entrance now teeter with rock cairns- gobs of them- that visitors have lovingly stacked. I’ve grown quite close to that space over these last eight years. It has hosted book signings and story times, concerts and workshops, chess tournaments and picnics and a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party among other things. It has evolved into a gethering place for locals and tourists alike, where the resident fairies love, no doubt, to welcome strange little bits of whimsy that folks leave behind. The garden wasn't officially part of the bookshop unti...

On a fine day of frolicking through a new town, I found myself on a foot path along the river. It had been an enjoyable afternoon of sight seeing and taking in the presumably cowboy friendly, western influenced town full of outdoor enthusiasts. To me that was all good and well, yet I was still seeking a true resonance with something…someone… something that spoke to the Fairy in me. In moments my eye caught small signs with white rabbits on them, pointing down the way. Naturally I was intrigued and follow them to their destination. I was met by a small garden with small rock towers, a life size chess board, flowers with eyeballs, colorful pieces of hanging art and fantastical mobiles. My heart fluttered. Through the windows of the small building I could spy beautiful crystals calling in the sunlight that splashed off the babbling river just a few paces away. What is this place? I wondered. I ventured onto the porch that was equipped with a “little free library,” a box of boo...

That is how I found it, after being invited to come to the White Rabbit Books and Curiosities just around a corner on the river walk in Durango, Colorado. I turned the corner wondering where it was and almost missed it. As I left the parking lot, I could already feel the tug of something new and so very different. As a bibliophile, I could not resist the pull of books unknown to me. It was like driving on Main Street next to the Jean Pierre bakery van and having a steaming loaf of French bread thrown through the window to land in your lap. Of course, you immediately went to a store to buy butter and then to tear it into pieces and butter and eat it. What else could I do, the books beckoned me. I met Keena and Jason before the idea of their own bookstore had been firmly planted, perhaps as it was being born when they visited the quirky bookstore that I owned. I fell in love with the vintage clothes and intelligence of this wonderful couple. I became a bookstore booster and awaited...