Robots and Rogues came to life after the Lafayette-area Borders closed its doors in spring 2011. Tricia and Kevin, who had both been managers at the store, decided that they wanted to stay in the book business, but with a twist. Their shop focuses solely on fantasy, sci-fi, and other genre fiction.
Why limit themselves when there are so many other subjects local readers are interested in? According to shop co-owner Tricia, specializing in genre fiction allows them to “really focus on what they carry” and offer a “selection that can’t be found elsewhere.” Bookstores that try to spread themselves too far, she argues, sometimes end up offering selections that differ little from the books available at Wal-Mart. Specialty stores, however, such as Robot and Rogues, are able to delve deeper into their selections, offering the “weird stuff,” the obscure titles and authors that often cannot be found elsewhere but that serious genre fans should not miss.
In addition to the feast of titles, Tricia said what seems to draw customers most is the shop’s enthusiastic workers. Employees there are eager to make recommendations, not for the sake of pushing a sale, but because they honestly love the stories and are committed to sharing that passion with others. Likewise, Tricia recognizes, it is fun for customers to enter a bookstore and talk with people who are richly knowledgeable in the genre and genuinely interested the store’s selections. She will sometimes find herself chatting for up to an hour with customers as they swap titles and opinions of their latest reads and old favorites.
What’s currently on Tricia’s recommendation list? The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch. It’s the Ocean’s Eleven of the fantasy world, as its protagonists try to pull off one long con. While its author isn’t yet widely known, Tricia says that everyone she has recommended the book to has enjoyed the story, and it flies off the store’s shelves.
For those who love genre fiction—or, who wonder what such books have to offer—take a trip to downtown Lafayette to find the small store with big possibilities. Employees there can assist those new to the genre fiction scene as well as longtime fans in search of the next great title. It is a resource worth putting to good use; after all, while “you can get books just about anywhere,” Tricia says, “you can’t [always] get a bookstore,” complete with sellers who spend their days surrounded by what they love most and live to share that interest with others.
More information can be found on the Robots and Rogues website or Facebook page.
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