What Do Pirate Shops and Superhero Stores Have to Do with LAMS?

On the surface, pirate shops and superhero stores (though wicked cool) would have little to do with creating the next generation of writers, unless you are David Eggers. In 2002 David (author of two of my fav books titled They Shall Know Our Velocity and What Is the What) began 826 Valencia, a volunteer-led writing lab for kids that fronted as a Pirate Shop in San Francisco's Mission district. Hear David tell their amazing story in the video below.



Since 2002, Valencia has become a national non-profit that is as creative as it is relevant. Each site is fronted by a different store (check 'em out at http://www.826national.org/stores), my favorite is 826NYC in Brooklyn. It's front is the "Brooklyn Superhero Supply." A friend of mine from IDEO recently visited and said the coolest part (among many) was the sign on the outside which read "If you are invisible, please make your presence known." Nice!

It is in this phenomenal not-for-profit called 826 where one can find the true unique value of Play's LAMS mentality...if you take something at its surface appearance and don't walk through a door, you miss the chance to be breathtakingly stunned by what lies inside.

In a single day, how many people walk by an 826 store without stopping? How many is too many?