Glacier: frozen books

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
A couple of years ago, Daniel Bolívar and Alfonso Santiago opened Glaciar. We are both editorial designers living and working in the San Rafael neighborhood in Mexico City. We realized that in our area there wasn’t a place where you could buy books from independent publishers, contemporary Mexican women writers, art books, fanzines, and design and illustration items like stickers and prints.

We started talking about the possibility of having a space to circulate our own projects and those of friends we knew through working in design and illustration in Mexico. We wanted the project to be integrated into the San Rafael neighborhood, and that’s how we decided to add an ice cream shop to the concept, turning it into a more casual and informal meeting point. 

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
It’s very rewarding to hear that people like the project—when they enjoy the books, ice cream, and publications we sell. We feel that we have a positive impact on the life of the neighborhood.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
They shouldn’t miss our new arrivals table. It’s located at the entrance of the bookstore; we arrange the most recently arrived books there, and they are always projects we’re excited about. Any of our customers (new or regular) can find a great reading selection there.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
The biggest challenge is continuing to work as independent designers while running the bookstore/ice cream shop, but seeing our friends and neighbors enjoy the space makes us want to keep working on it.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
The spirit of Glaciar is about sharing the work of publishers, authors, illustrators, and artists who excite us, and bringing more people closer to them. 

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
We often think about Other Books, and so, a small bookstore that Ulises Carrión opened in the 1970s to circulate artists’ publications—books that escaped conventional classifications and formats. We love that this small space, which only lasted four years, became a meeting point for creators from all over the world and influenced generations of artists. Fifty years later, we are still talking about it.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
At Glaciar, we organize pop-ups with illustrators we admire and invite them to take over the space for a day. This has led to weekends of close collaboration with illustrators. We have a long list of creators we want to invite, as illustration in Mexico is currently going through a great moment.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
Behind every book, there are many people working to make it possible. Glaciar is part of that community that makes books happen, which is why our shelves are filled with friends—producers, editors, writers, booksellers, distributors, and all the people who are part of the book chain. We like to recognize the work of each of these agents.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
We’d like Glaciar to be like a magic trick: you walk in for an ice cream and leave with a book—or the other way around. That’s what we want to make our space special.

Answers by Daniel Bolívar and Alfonso Santiago, managers of Glaciar