A few days ago we learned that Nick Aretakis, long a crucial part of the Reese team, after a four year absence while he established his own rare book business in California, will return to head the Americana Department at the William Reese Company on November 1st. He is a superb choice.
The rare book business is equal parts erudition, chutzpah, and salesmanship and Nick brings the benefits of having learned from Bill, experienced first-hand the challenges of building a business, and for years been conversational with the principal institutions and collectors around the world.
Nick will be the right key in the Reese lock.
Here is the recent Reese Company announcement.
The William Reese Company
409 Temple Street
New Haven, Connecticut 06511
Dear Friends, Clients, and Colleagues:
Since the passing of our founder, Bill Reese, in June, the gestures of kindness and the outpouring of condolences from so many of you have been a considerable source of comfort and support for me, for Bill’s extended family and to those of us here at the William Reese Company. For this, we thank you.
We are particularly grateful to the several hundred attendees who joined us to celebrate Bill’s life on September 16th at the Beinecke Library at Yale. For those who were unable to attend, the entire service was recorded and is now available on YouTube. Simply enter “William Reese” in the Search field on the homepage of YouTube to find the link for “A Celebration of Life for William S. Reese.” The video, with sound, runs approximately one hour and forty-five minutes.
Now that we have passed from this most difficult summer to autumn, the staff at the William Reese Company has turned its full and focused attention to the continuation of our business. At present, we have catalogues either in the mail or at the print shop. We continue to assemble and distribute lists every other week. We continue to acquire material every day. The most exciting development, however, is the imminent return of Nick Aretakis to the William Reese Company.
Nick will be heading the Americana department here at the Reese Company beginning November 1. As many of you know, Nick was a vital member of the William Reese Company for almost fifteen years. Since July 2014, Nick has been living with his family in Manteca, California, buying and selling rare Americana under his own name. He has been tremendously successful on his own, but with Bill’s passing, both Nick and I felt that his return would be mutually beneficial, providing long-term stability for Nick, his family, and the William Reese Company.
Starting November 1, Nick will be a permanent member of the Reese Company, and will be in our booth at the Boston Book Fair, November 16-18. He will occasionally travel back and forth to California until the end of the school year, when he, his wife Maria, and his son John will make the permanent move back to Connecticut.
Nick is excited to begin this next chapter in his career at the Reese Company. Together with Joe Fay, Nick plans to continue the long-standing tradition of offering the finest in printed and manuscript Americana and travels and voyages to our valued clientele. Please join us in welcoming back to New Haven our friend and colleague, Nick Aretakis.
Sincerely,
Dorothy Hurt
William Reese Company
Rare Books & Manuscripts
ABAA - ILAB
409 Temple Street
New Haven, CT 06511 USA
phone: 203-789-8081 fax: 203-865-7653
