Peeps of Ptown: Ms. Anja Pollitz

By Kanchan, News Team Contributor

The woman in front of me twirls a pen between her fingers, jotting down book titles in the margin of a notebook. In search of books ranging from Dav Pilkey’s adventure comic Dogman to the latest fantasy novel, Pleasanton’s avid readers sift through the shelves of the Towne Center Bookstore, a quaint bookshop overlooking the hubbub of downtown traffic. Often they have approached the counter, perhaps with a book in hand or an author in mind. But few have gotten to know the person who hands them back a receipt with a smile. Few have gotten to know the lady behind the counter.

A proud employee of Towne Center for the past two years, Ms. Anja Pollitz brings Pleasanton locals closer to her one true love: books. She helps manage the large inventory of the store, which includes publications of all genres and age groups, as well as toys and board games. “Earlier I worked the evening shift from 6-9, but now I’m here from 10-6,” she explains. Over the years, she has grown quite attached to the bookstore, even its small and subtle details. When I asked her about the ‘e’ at the end of the word “Town”, she responded, “Oh, I think it just looks a little more old-fashioned — a little more English.” She laughs. “When I see the word “town” without the ‘e’, it feels wrong.”

Her adoration for books is not limited, by any means, to the English lanuage. “I’m a teacher, actually. I teach German at a school in San Francisco as well.” Although native to Germany, Ms. Anja is fluent in French as well and possesses a fondness for the country. “I love France. For the longest time, I thought I would open a bookstore there.” Grinning, she adds, “then I met an American.”

Since then, she has fully embraced Pleasanton, having raised two children here. In a city of a thousand colors, Ms. Anja Pollitz brings her own story of dreams and merging cultures. Her role at the Towne Center Bookstore reminds us of what may be lacking in the ever-convenient repositories we find online — the people behind our books, who work tirelessly to provide  books to our people.