The Other Change of Hobbit facts for kids
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| Bookstore | |
| Industry | bookselling |
| Genre | Science fiction Fantasy |
| Founded | May 1977 |
| Founder | Dave Nee Debbie Notkin Tom Whitmore |
| Headquarters | |
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Area served
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San Francisco Bay Area Internet |
The Other Change of Hobbit, often called TOCOH, was a special bookstore. It sold books about science fiction and fantasy. It used to have stores in Berkeley, California and El Cerrito. Now, it sells books online.
It started in 1977, the same weekend the first Star Wars movie came out! Many famous authors visited the store to meet fans and sign books. Three friends who loved science fiction, Dave Nee, Debbie Notkin, and Tom Whitmore, started it. The name 'The Other Change of Hobbit' comes from the Hobbits in J.R.R. Tolkien's famous books, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. The store had a huge collection, with over 20,000 different books!
A Special Bookstore
How It Started
Before opening the store, Dave Nee, Debbie Notkin, and Tom Whitmore sold books at events for science fiction fans. They called their first effort 'The Portable Bookstore'.
In 1976, another bookstore owner named Sherry Gottlieb suggested they open their own store in Berkeley. Her store was called "A Change of Hobbit." She even let them use a similar name for their new store.
The Other Change of Hobbit first opened in May 1977. It was in a shopping area near Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley.
Moving Around
In 1993, the store moved to Downtown Berkeley, on Shattuck Avenue. This building was very old, built around 1905.
- The main floor was where all the books were sold.
- Dave Nee also displayed his cool toy collection there.
- Upstairs, on the second floor, was the store office. The staff called it "Shelob's Lair," like in The Lord of the Rings.
- Downstairs, in the basement, were thousands more books!
The store's window was also special. It showed the typewriter and desk of famous author Poul Anderson. For some years, it also displayed a Hugo Award, which is a big prize for science fiction and fantasy.
In 1995, The Other Change of Hobbit launched its website. It was one of the very first websites for science fiction and fantasy books!
The store faced tough times financially. Many bookstores in Berkeley closed down over the years. Dave Nee said that in 1977, Berkeley had more bookstores than almost anywhere else in the world.
In 2010, the store had to move again because its building was sold. It moved to Adeline Street. A famous fantasy writer, Peter S. Beagle, even helped raise money for the move.
The store moved one more time in 2013, to Kearney Street in El Cerrito. But by July 2014, the store no longer had a physical location. It now operates online.
Famous Visitors
The Other Change of Hobbit was known for hosting many authors. Hundreds of writers came to the store to read from their books, sign copies, and talk with fans.
Some of the amazing authors who visited TOCOH include:
- Neil Gaiman
- Clive Barker
- Terry Pratchett
- Anne McCaffrey
- Harlan Ellison
- Octavia Butler
- Madeleine L'Engle
- Kim Stanley Robinson
- Cory Doctorow
- Laurell K. Hamilton
The store collected many author signatures over the years from all these visits.
