| “ | Back in Fabletown, Snow had her cavernous Business Office crammed into a tiny room. | „ |
| ~ Cinderella, Cinderella: Fables Are Forever #1 — "Part One" |
The Business Office is a cavernous room in the Woodlands that holds a vast amount of books, information, and items from the Homelands. It serves as the official office of the current Deputy Mayor and his/her assistant. It also serves as a library, a place to hold meetings, or discussions among government officials like the Sheriff, Deputy Mayor, and the Deputy Mayor's assistant.
Description
The Business Office is physically located in an unknown location, tied to the Woodland via enchantments[2] and magically crammed into a tiny room.[3] It is its own enclosed realm.[4]
The Business Office contains the biggest library in the world.[5] Bufkin acts as Fabletown's librarian and thus is generally found in the cavernous Business Office, where he both works[6] and sleeps.[7][8] He reads a lot of the books in the library, and has learned a few useful skills from this.[5]
During King Cole's tenure as mayor, he delegates the actual responsibilities of managing the community to the deputy mayor, concentrating instead on formal glad-handing, official appearances, and hosting ceremonial events,[1] rarely even visiting the Business Office.[9] Upon being elected the new mayor, Prince Charming establishes a desk in the Business Office, aiming to be more actively involved in the governance of Fabletown than his predecessor.[10]
Snow White serves as the deputy mayor,[1] supported by her assistant, Boy Blue. Ichabod Crane was the former deputy mayor, with Snow as his assistant.[11] As Prince Charming embarks on his new role as mayor, Snow moves to the Farm with her newborn cubs, and Beauty takes over the responsibilities of deputy mayor.[10]
Many magic items are stored in the Business Office for safekeeping. Any attempt to unlawfully take magical items from the Business Office is treated as a major offense.[7]
The still living head of Frankenstein's monster is kept in a cage in the Business Office. The creature spends most of his time sleeping, since there isn't much else for him to do, except for when Flycatcher, Boy Blue or Bufkin has the time to read to him. Sheriff Bigby Wolf drops by to have chats with him from time to time.[12]
History
Construction
The Business Office was created in the early 1600s, when the Fairy Witch, who played a crucial role in the creation of Fabletown, devised a method to magically link the larger Business Office to a smaller one using an enchanted door frame.[13]
Frankenstein's monster
During World War II, Sheriff Bigby Wolf brought the still living head of Frankenstein's monster to Fabletown, where it was in kept in a cage in the Business Office. At one point, circa 1994, they tried giving him a television, but Bufkin "kept going crazy" with the remote and nearly drove Frankie insane, so they gave up on that. [12]
Running Fabletown
In the Business Office, Director of Operations Snow White has a meeting with Beauty and Beast about Beast's appearance, which has been increasingly monstrous lately. When the conversation grows increasingly hostile, Snow's secretary Boy Blue quickly pushes Beauty and Beast out of the door. Sheriff Bigby Wolf arrives with bad news for Snow; her sister, Rose Red, is missing and presumed dead.[1]
One day, when everybody is out of the office, Bufkin comes to the conclusion that he is now in charge and decides to rename Fabletown Bufkintown,[9] a change that only lasts as long as it takes somebody else to find out about it.[14]
The Mouse Police on the Farm observe that Eddie Underfoot, a Lilliputian, has reached adulthood. Aware of the local custom in Smalltown, where young men travel to Fabletown and make an attempt to pilfer a magic barleycorn from the Business Office, they inform the sheriff. Anticipating this event, Bigby is quick to apprehend Eddie during his attempt to take one of the barleycorns.[7]
Battle of Fabletown
As Fabletown becomes endangered by the wooden soldiers, a group of Fables gathers in the Business Office to attend Snow White's briefing on security measures.[15]
A new mayor
After being elected Mayor of Fabletown,[16] Prince Charming threatens to kill Bufkin if he steals from his liquor cabinet again. After this, the flying monkey is seen reading a guide book on political assassination.[5]
Close to Boy Blue, Bufkin hides for a week when his friend leaves for the Homelands, thinking that he will be blamed for not stopping him.
After Boy Blue made off with the Vorpal Blade and Witching Cloak, Fabletown institutes more stringent security measures, in which Bufkin makes a survey of the really dangerous stuff in the Business Office every morning.[17]
One day, Bufkin takes it upon himself to serve whiskey to the disembodied head of Frankenstein's monster, despite knowing that this behavior is not permitted.[18]
Fabletown-Imperial war
As the Adversary's army reaches the outskirts of Haven's borders, several Fables come together in the Business Office to watch a live "broadcast" of the impending battle through the Magic Mirror.[19]
Trapped in the Business Office
After the magics holding Fabletown together have been unraveled, Bufkin is stranded in the Business Office along with all the formerly imprisoned Fables.[13]
Bufkin is able to bottle the d'jinn[4] and kill Baba Yaga and her knights[20] by utilizing everything he has read.[4] He is aided by the Magic Mirror, Frankenstein's monster's head, the Barleycorn Brides and several heads of the captured wooden soldiers.[4][20][21]