Kale Vogt
Sept. 25, 2024
One of my favorite parts about working here at LAP is the variety of work. Some days I’m attached to my bench, consumed by a project. Others, I’m at my desk editing videos or slinging books at Anthe. Heck, sometimes I work in all of these spaces in a day.
It might sound hectic, but I thrive off the diversity of the work; it keeps things fresh.
Though, during all this bopping from work hole to work hole, it never occurred to me for one second that anyone would be interested in seeing these different spaces. Until now.
It was actually Chris who brought up the idea: a series illuminating my different workspaces at Lost Art Press. I was skeptical at first. Really? You think people would care for a second about what a workday at Anthe looks like, or how I like to organize my workbench at Willard?
Then I thought some more.
I thought about my own nosiness, and how I love getting a peep at other people’s hobbit holes. Creator or not, I think of a person’s workspace as a mirror of whoever occupies it. It’s an intimate thing.
Hardly any time passed before I was swayed. OK, fine, maybe there are some people interested in catching a glimpse behind the curtain. I digress.
Because of this, I want to try something different for the next couple weeks. Here goes: The beginning of the Workspace Series.
I want to kick off this series with a look at our Anthe Warehouse. Sure, Anthe may not have a mega awesome tool wall or house multiple cats like the Willard Street storefront. But, I’d argue that Anthe is the pulse of Lost Art Press.
The work done at Anthe is machine-like, steady, consistent and predictable. And I love it. I like to think of Anthe as a perfect complement to Willard. Where the day-to-day at Willard varies greatly and can be brain heavy at times, Anthe is the epitome of grunt work.
Anthe is headphones-in-head-down type of work. Every single online order made through our website is picked, packed and processed by only two (sometimes three) people. Slow periods are expected and allow more room in the workday. Though, when a new book arrives or an older book goes on sale, it’s all hands on deck.
Mark and Gabe are the only two full-time employees at Anthe. Their hard work has allowed Lost Art Press to grow into what it is today. They pack your books so we can build chairs and tool chests.
Although I’m only part-time at Anthe, it’s an important workspace for me, and one I genuinely enjoy. It’s shown me the multitude of sides this work entails and keeps me grounded.
Below, you can watch a short video I created that gives a quick tour of the Anthe building. It shows snippets of what we do at Anthe day to day and some other parts of the historic building.
And hey, next time you order a book or tool through our website, don’t be shy – leave a “hello” or “thank you” for Mark or Gabe. They deserve the recognition.
If you were to judge me by my workshop, well, I'm a mess. On the other hand, I am constantly finding things I forgot I had. Almost like Christmas every day. My retirement job is clean it all up. It's a fun challenge.
Thoroughly enjoyed the behind the scenes description and video. Looking forward to more of the series.
Great to see the overall transformation from when Chris acquired the Anthe building and the transformation into the usable and very productive space.
Makes one appreciate what Chris and the LAP team do to make a small business run effectively and efficiently.
Suggest you step back for a moment, pinch yourself, and recognize how you are successfully capitalizing on the great career opportunity you are currently engaged in. Too often, we don’t appreciate what we have until we have moved on to the next change in our lives.
Keep it up and enjoy it all!