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Brilliant Books Marks 10 Years in Business

Brilliant Books
Brilliant Books celebrated its 10th year in business with a party.

Brilliant Books in Traverse City, Michigan, celebrated 10 years in business last month with a party featuring author appearances, door prizes, snacks, kids’ activities, live music, and giveaways. 

The bookstore also created a special premium subscription to its monthly book club in honor of the anniversary. Customers have until January 7 to enroll in the store’s 10-year subscription program, which offers an individually selected book a month for 10 years, or 120 in total, for $3,010 for hardcovers or $1,910 for paperbacks. “A whole decade of paperback books chosen especially for you based on your personal tastes. Each selection is guaranteed,” the store promised.

Midtown Reader Plans Expansion

Midtown Reader is expanding into the upstairs portion of its building, the Tallahassee, Florida, indie announced on its Facebook page.

“Our upstairs portion of the store will have a large space for events, an expansion of our inventory in a wide range of subjects, comfortable seating for curling up with a good book, AND Lucy & Leo’s Cupcakery right inside the store! That’s right — now you’ll be able to pick up a fresh baked cupcake to accompany your new book,” the store wrote on Facebook.

Midtown Reader will close for a week starting January 8 and plans to have the new section open for customers by the end of the month. Midtown Reader, which opened in November 2016, is a general-interest bookstore with a regular schedule of literary events.

Scrawl Books Offers Free Delivery During Move

Scrawl Books in Reston, Virginia, is offering free local delivery for its customers while it moves from Reston Town Center to a new location at 11911 Freedom Drive. The independent bookstore closed its old doors on January 1 and plans to re-open in the middle of February.

Owner Rachel Wood, a librarian and Reston resident, is updating customers through the store’s Facebook page in the interim. Customers can also pick up books at the store’s pop-ups, at ArtInsights art gallery and Reston Station, in the meantime.  

Brilliant Moon Moves, Plans Coffee Shop

Brilliant Moon, an independent bookstore in Shelton, Washington, has moved to a new location in a historic 1912 building up the street from its former store.

Owners Lindy Cameron and Mary Schroeder told the Kitsap Sun that the move was easily done before the holiday season got underway. “It was serendipity, honestly,” Cameron told the newspaper. “We needed lower overhead costs, the restaurant next door wanted to expand into our space, and we got a text from a friend about the vacancy here. It worked out really, really well.”

The 1,800-square-foot space offers room for reading nooks and enough space for a future coffee shop. The store also sells a variety of loose-leaf teas as well as locally crafted gifts.

Bob’s Beach Books Moves Next Door

Bob’s Beach Books of Lincoln City, Oregon, is moving to a new location next door to its current spot. Manager Diana Portwood said the new building does not have stairs, making the bookstore more accessible to all customers.

The bookstore began unpacking at its new spot on January 1. “We’re planning for a week, but hope it’s quicker. Since we’ll be using the same shelving it’s going to be complicated, so we’re giving ourselves some leeway,” Portwood said.

Customers can follow the progress of the move on Bob’s Beach Books’ Facebook page, where Portwood is posting photos of the process.

Northshire Starts College Scholarship

Northshire Bookstore, which has locations in Manchester Center, Vermont, and Saratoga Springs, New York, has started a new college scholarship that encourages young people to have an open mind for new ideas.

“The Open Mind Scholarship” will give $1,000 to two college-bound high school seniors, one from Vermont and one from New York.

In an interview with the Manchester Journal, co-owner Chris Morrow said he was motivated to create the scholarship to encourage young people to expose themselves to unbiased ideas and information.

“I’ve been wanting to do a scholarship program for a few years, and in the last year or two the need for people to see what we have here with open minds has become more apparent,” Morrow told the newspaper. “The core value of an independent bookstore is to be unbiased in what we present, and to give the community access to all kinds of ideas and information and entertainment.”

Students can apply for the scholarship by writing a one-page essay about how a book has exposed them to a new idea that has affected their lives. The deadline is February 28. Submissions can be sent to [email protected].

Left Bank Receives Missouri Jobs With Justice Award

Left Bank Books in St. Louis, Missouri, has been honored by the St. Louis chapter of Missouri Jobs with Justice for its efforts to promote a $10-an-hour wage.

Left Bank Books received the “Lifesaver Award” from the nonprofit coalition, which brings together labor, faith, community, and student activist groups to fight for workers’ rights and economic justice. Left Bank Books co-owner Jarek Steele actively lobbied for the city’s $10-an-hour minimum wage, which passed in 2015. However, the Missouri legislature overturned the increase and the minimum wage was set back to $7.70 per hour in August 2017.

Left Bank Books was one of more than 100 independent businesses that promised to keep the higher wage. Left Bank Books co-owner Kris Kleindienst said the store is “committed to paying our employees fairly.”

Wyoming Indie Named Best Western History Book Store

Sheridan Stationery Books and Gallery in Sheridan, Wyoming, has been named “Best Western History Book Store” by True West Magazine, according to The Sheridan Press.

Each year, the magazine names the “Best of the West” across the country, recognizing institutions that keep alive the spirit of the American West. Categories include Best Arts and Collectibles, Firearms, Heritage Travel, Movies and TV Series, Western Books, and Western Wear.

Shawn Parker, executive director of Sheridan Travel & Tourism, told the newspaper that the bookstore, which houses a collection of local authors and history, has been a prominent fixture in Sheridan since 1993.


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