Joyce Meskis (March 12, 1942 – December 22, 2022) was an American bookseller. She owned the

Tattered Cover Tattered Cover is a bookstore chain in Denver, Colorado. It is one of the largest independent bookstores in the United States. Tattered Cover is open seven days a week at all branches, hosts prominent book signings, and is known for its custome ...

bookstore from 1974. In 1995, she won a PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award.

Life

Meskis studied at

Purdue University Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...

. In 1974, she bought the Tattered Cover bookstore. In 1991, she was president of the

American Booksellers Association The American Booksellers Association (ABA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1900 that promotes independent bookstores in the United States. ABA's core members are key participants in their communities' local economy and culture, and t ...

. She retired in 2015. Meskis had two daughters. Meskis died on December 22, 2022, at the age of 80.

References

1942 births 2022 deaths American booksellers {{US-business-bio-1940s-stub