Get to Know Your Book Buyer: Adrian Newell Marks 25 Years with Warwick’s Books

Written by Megan Gallagher

Warwick’s has been a landmark in La Jolla for more than 60 years. Since it was first established in its current location in 1952, the store has gone through several renovations, big and small, and in a way, it has grown up with La Jolla, providing a unique influence on the community that is quite difficult to match. Over the past 25 years, one woman (of course, with the help of others), has worked to bring great books of all types to our community and has been an integral part of that unique influence – book buyer Adrian Newell. 

We chatted with Newell about her career at Warwick’s and her interesting life outside of it.

Patch: When did you first start working at Warwick’s?

Adrian Newell: Many years ago, the book buyer at Warwick’s was Barbara Christman, and she was my first boss at Walden Books back in 1978 where I worked for her for 5 months before she left for Warwick’s. I worked at Walden Books for 4 years and then at the Aztec Shop at San Diego State for 5 years before I picked up the phone and told Barbara, ‘I’m ready to work for you if you’ll still have me.’ I started part-time in 1988 and took over as head buyer a few years later.

Patch: How has your job at Warwick’s evolved over the years?

Newell: I was hired in the middle of a remodel so the book section has almost doubled in size. Since then, we have gone through 2 renovations and another major overall. Each time you have to adjust your buying habits and merchandising habits, so that has been an evolution. The biggest changes, though are technology related. There were no computers when I started out. Things were organized by title, subject, author and if you didn’t know what you had in the store, you could find yourself in trouble. Now, everything is computerized, almost all buying is done on the computer and I meet with sales reps less and less. Computers have been good because they’ve made information easier to access, but I also feel that your brain gets a bit lazier, and sometimes you become a hostage to email. There are good and bad parts about it.

Patch: How do you select the books to order?

Newell: You have to be curious, and I am an intensely curious person. Exposing yourself to different things is a good way to see what is going on and what may be popular. We also get heads up from the sales reps and the staff reads frequently, so if we get two out of three of the staff to agree on something, that says a lot about a book and how it can appeal to a variety of preferences and tastes. That is why I am glad we have more than one buyer at the store. I want the books to reflect the personality of the entire department. Also, so much of buying is going with a gut feeling, that reaction or immediate impression, like Malcom Gladwell talks about in “Blink.”

Patch: Warwick’s holds a lot of great events, what are some of your favorites?

Newell: There are so many to choose from, but one that pops into mind was the event with Ozzy Osbourne. Not necessarily because I’m a fan, but because it was so much fun. We have 2,200 people, it was like a big block party. Julia Child also really stood out in my mind over the years. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor was amazing. One of my idols was always Paul Theroux and we did an event with him.

It’s not always the big authors that stand out the most, sometimes it is unique events, like the one with Peter Gethers and his cat, that just turn out to be really memorable.

Patch: Who are your favorite authors?

Newell: I read a wide range from cookbooks to memoirs so there are a few. Some of them include Flannery O’Connor, Edith Worton, John Steinbeck, Dorothy Sayers. I think my favorite book last year was The Dog Stars by Peter Heller.

Patch: Favorite Books?

Newell: I have favorites for all of the different genres. One that comes to mind is “A Constellation of Vital Phenomenon” by Anthony Marra. I also just read a book that isn’t out yet called, “The Steady Running of the Hour” by Justin Go. I think it is going to be huge. It is so well done.

Patch: What is your favorite part about your job?

Newell: I like being challenged and I feel like I am always learning something here, so that is the best party about this industry. There is always new information and new ways of doing things, and you’re exposed to a lot of different subjects and ideas that you would probably never encounter otherwise. Of course, there is a certain routine day to day, but at the same time it is all very different, the content is always changing, and I like that.

Patch: What are some of your other hobbies?

Newell: I’m involved in a retail collective called Solo in Solana Beach, in the Cedros design district. It’s run by a friend of mine and its retail co-op where each of the vendors are responsible for ordering and stocking.

I also love antiquing. I make jewelry. I like to read and to cook, and to try new restaurants. I’m a big animal lover, I haven’t met a dog that I didn’t like. I also like to travel. I find that I never have enough free time.

Patch: Anything else people should know about you?

Newell: I love a good bourbon.

Visit Newell at Warwick’s on 7812 Girard Ave. in La Jolla.