What follows are lists of the people who read at the store, some several times; the events that happened there; and the staff. If I have forgotten to include anyone or anything, I apologize.
Caroline Adderson, Jody Aliesan, Gaye Allison, Hope Anderson, David Arnason, Attila the Hun, Marie Anneharte Baker, Donna Balma, Ven Begamudré, Ken Belford, Dodie Bellamy, Maggie Benson, Neil Benson, bill bissett, Robin Blaser, Marusya Bociurkiw, Dennis Bolen, George Bowering, Thea Bowering, Hugh Brady, Kate Braid, Dionne Brand, Di Brandt, John Brazier, David Bromige, Nicole Brossard, Colin Browne, Julie Bruck, Alice Burdick, Mary Burns, Joanna Byers, Ted Byrne, Claudia Casper, Penny Chalmers, Carole Chambers, Margaret Christakos, Chrystos, Susan Clark, Mark Cochrane, Victor Coleman, Penny Connell, Marlene Cookshaw, Judith Copithorne, Pierre Coupey, Susan Crean, Gerald Creede, Peter Culley, Kevin Davies, Sheila Delaney, Jeff Derksen, Diane Di Prima, Helen Dixon, John Donlan, Margaret Dragu, Sandy Frances Duncan, Rob Dunham, Paul Dutton, George Ellenbogen, Brett Enemark, Dan Farrell, Deanna Ferguson, Mona Fertig, Norman Fischer, Cynthia Flood, Steven Forth, Maxine Gadd, Gary Geddes, Ellen Ghattas, Betty Gilbert, Gerry Gilbert, Goh Poh Seng, Kagan Goh, Ralph Gustafson, Phil Hall, Jane Eaton Hamilton, David (UU) Harris, John Harris, Michael Harris, Wes Hartley, Diana Hartog, Elizabeth Hay, Stephen Heighton, Stephen Herrick, Gladys (Maria) Hindmarch, Avron Hoffman, Cornelia Hogland, Rosemary Hollingshead, Jan Horner, Angela Hyrniak, Geoff Inverarty, Jam Ismail, Carole Itter, Kedrick James, Adeena Karasick, Lionel Kearns, Peggy Kelly, Penn Kemp, Kevin Killian, Theresa Kishkan, Larissa Lai, Tim Landers, Evelyn Lau, SKY Lee, Billy Little, Matt Little, Dorothy Livesay, La Loca, Vivian Lougheed, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Jill Mandrake, Lee Maracle, Daphne Marlatt, Steve McCaffery, Nellie McClung, David McFadden, Barry McKinnon, Wreford Miller, Maureen Moore, Cath Morris, Stephen Morrissey, Frances Muir, Paul Mutton, Mark Nakada, Al Neil, bpNichol, Bud Osborne, Miriam Packer, Yvonne Parent, John Pass, Miranda Pearson, Stan Persky, David Phillips, Helen Potrebenko, Alfonso Quiyada, Gayla Reid, Jamie Reid, Sharon Riis, Lisa Robertson, Rhoda Rosenfeld, Tom Sandborn, Gail Scott, Hasna Shaban, Jenny Shaw, Bob Sherrin, Gerry Shikatani, George Stanley, Robert Sward, Marlene Swidzinski, Warren Tallman, Sharon Thesen, Larry Timewell, Lola Lemire Tostevin, Michael Turner, Kate Van Dusen, Ed Varney, Fred Wah, J.A. Wainwright, Victoria Walker, Betsy Warland, Charles Watts, Sheri-D Wilson, Lissa Wolsak, Carolyn Woodard, Hillel Wright, Caroline Zonalo.
There were also many book launches and artists’ shows. As well, Michael deCourcy made a series of photos of Roy Kiyooka reading from Fontaine Bleu Dream Machine; psychotherapist Andrew Feldmar gave a talk on “Fathers” and another one on “Uncertainty”; Jackie Crossland held a workshop on writing for grants; Ruth Taylor spoke on “Women and the Law”; Michael Ondaatje’s film Love Clinic and Margaret Dragu’s I Vant To Be Alone were screened.
Music was played, both by individuals and by various groups, including Art Bull, David Campbell, François Houle, Pearl (L.A.) Hunt, Lindsay Kenyon, Roy Kiyooka, Cindi Mellon, Jim Munro, Patrick Ready, Gregg Simpson and Bill Smith.
I wish it were possible to mention the countless people who contributed to the success of R2B2. This includes staff such as Michelle Frey, Lara Gilbert and Shereen Legault, and many loyal customers. The audiences, of course, were an essential part of the events.