About Bookstores

New Jersey to welcome Little City Books; Bank Street Book Store celebrates reopening in new location; SubText Books goes aboveground; New owners for North Carolina’s Main Street Books; Bank of Books raises funds for Literary Hall of Fame; A poetic proposal at Flyleaf

At an open house last week, customers warmly welcomed Bennington Bookshop’s new owners, Phil Lewis and Linda Foulsham. The couple bought the business from Ellen and Richard Havlak, who are retiring after 35 years at the helm of Vermont’s oldest independent bookstore.

Becky Anderson running for Naperville City Council; Teaching for Change to hand reins to Politics & Prose; Bluebird Books makes plans to expand; The Bookman has new owners; New Bo Books becomes Next Page Bookstore; A Children’s Place relocates; Women & Children First to celebrate history; Phoenix Books makes good on food drive challenge

The staff at Between the Covers in Harbor Springs, Michigan, celebrated the success of one of their own last week at an in-store launch party for bookseller Alison DeCamp’s new middle grade novel My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!).

Following its grand opening during the busy 2014 holiday season, RoscoeBooks is now looking to situate itself as a community hub. “We want people to know that we’re here and that they’re always welcome,” said owner Erika VanDam.

Publishers Weekly has released the shortlists for its 2015 PW Bookstore and Sales Rep of the Year Awards. This year’s five finalists for Bookstore of the Year include general indies from the West, Midwest, and South.

Booksellers to discuss future of Bay Area bookstores on City Visions; Battle Creek Books eyes March opening; Greenlight Bookstore launches second season of Book/Plate series; Green Arcade bookstore featured for unique focus

NYT article on indie bookstores shared with millions of Twitter followers; SFWA announces 2014 Nebula Award nominees; Poets & Writers introduces mobile app; PEN releases 2015 Literary Awards calendar; Young people prefer print books to digital, Washington Post reports; May 2 announced as first Canadian Authors for Indies Day; Lerner Publishing Group acquires Egmont USA’s list

Indie booksellers make way for “French Corners”; Back of Beyond Books marks 25 years; Brilliant Books sees surge in Book of the Month Club interest; Singles celebrate Valentine’s Day at Avid Bookshop

The Bookworm of Edwards has launched the Wiggle Worms story time channel on YouTube, featuring Children’s Director Franny Gustafson reading aloud new and classic picture books.

Let’s Play Books! marks first year; King’s English’s Holman becomes partner; Denver’s BookBar named a “swoon-worthy sipping spot”; Lucy’s Books named best bookstore; Bethany Beach Books launches book subscription service; Merritt Bookstore’s Scott Meyer retiring; Women & Children First to celebrate grand reopening; Harvard Book Store accepting submissions for Microchondria II

In 2014, ABA membership grew by the largest number of new stores in a single year since the start of the Great Recession in 2008.

Because so many booksellers like nothing more than to visit other independent bookstores, for those heading to the Winter Institute next week, ABA has compiled a list of member stores in the Asheville, Charlotte, and Greenville areas of North Carolina.

Diana Gabaldon and Poisoned Pen launch Writers-in-Residence program; Bookends & Beginnings raises funds for music therapy; East End Book Exchange highlighted for success

Phoenix Books to open third location; BookPeople of Moscow to take readers to Italy; Idaho booksellers offer favorite picks on local TV; Old Firehouse Books wins signing with Neil Gaiman; La Casa Azul Bookstore awarded $150,000 Mission Main Street Grant; Ken White to leave Books Inc.