The last meeting

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
The bookstore The last meeting began as an Instagram shop. Within months, we secured a physical space in a cultural center in Mixcoac, invited by Alex Bruck, founder of the Siranda bookstore, who was leaving that location. As luck would have it, the cultural center had a courtyard with a small garden, which allowed us to envision the kinds of events we could host. The physical space enabled us to begin building a community of customers and followers who gradually started suggesting events of all kinds. That spirit continues to this day.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Bookstores have basic routines: sweeping, taking out the trash, organizing books, etc. One of the most exciting moments happens when books arrive that need to be cataloged, appraised, or even researched. The world of used books is a map without end.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
Undoubtedly the first editions/signed books section, the poetry and music section: we have around 500 LPs of classical music in very good condition.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
Undoubtedly, the move from Mixcoac to the Roma Norte neighborhood was a turning point. The space where the cultural center was located in Mixcoac was put up for sale, so we had to leave in less than a month. We had to store the bookstore for almost three months because finding a new location was so difficult. Today, we're on the second floor of a building in Roma Norte. Not being immediately visible has its disadvantages; in addition to that, we obviously lost the patio space in Mixcoac for holding events. The challenge in the Roma Norte space has been to make the most of it so that things can happen: from harpsichord concerts to exhibitions, reading workshops, and a film club.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today? 
The community that has been built over almost three years has become an essential driving force for continuing with the events we have scheduled for the coming months. An example of this is the monthly collaboration established with the poet Odette Alonso, who has found in the bookstore a space to promote poetry in all its forms, from established figures to emerging voices.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why? 
Odette Alonso has undoubtedly been a constant inspiration for The last meeting. By organizing monthly poetry readings, their goal has always been to surpass the previous recital, and they clearly succeed. This mindset has guided us in the events we schedule week after week, month after month. The events can always be better.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
Definitely Dua Lipa and a day with her book club/workshop.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
We have a Dutch-bound edition of 400 copies of the first 19 volumes of Alfonso Reyes's complete works. What makes this edition unique is the signature of Alfonso Reyes in the first volume. The signature is dated 1959, the very year of his death. The edition also includes a letter signed by Doña Manuela, Reyes's widow, addressed to a couple who were with Alfonso Reyes during his final days.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
It would be Velvet Underground's first album with Nico, 1967. Musically speaking, it goes from tender/simple ballads to stridency. The last meeting has a large poetry section, but also features a graphic novel section, engravings by José Guadalupe Posada, and erotic art. In the bookstore, we're open to having a little bit of everything. We go from poetry to books by Hermann Nitsch, from Ella Fitzgerald LPs to Diamanda Galás CDs to the music of Olivier Messiaen.

Answers by Evelio Rojas Robles, founder of El último encuentro. The bookstore has a partner: Emilio Sánchez.