About Bookstores

With much hard work and the help of family and community members, Lisa Sullivan hopes to reopen Bartleby’s Books before Thanksgiving. The Wilmington, Vermont, bookstore was almost totally destroyed by flooding from Hurricane Irene.

Holly Weinkauf and Amy Sullivan, the new owners of St. Paul’s Red Balloon Bookshop, are committed to honoring the store’s 27-year legacy, even as they make small changes to bring the business up to date and make it theirs.

Waucoma Bookstore celebrates 35 years; New York bookstores help rebuild libraries; Buffalo Street Books thrives; New children’s store opens in Katonah; Women & Children’s First hosts inaugural Women’s Voices Weekend

Whether you’re playing Chickyboom, Scrabble, or Jishaku, or holding a literary trivia contest, bookstore game nights can draw regulars and boost sales.

Michigan’s Brilliant Books will open a second location next month. Co-owners Peter and Colleen Makin are taking over the lease of a storefront in an historic building in Traverse City on October 1. They hope to be selling books by October 17 and will throw a grand opening party in November.

As part of the ongoing celebration of Banned Books Week, more than 40 bookstores have posted readings on the Banned Books Week channel on YouTube, and bidding continues on artwork in the final week of ABFFE’s online auction.

Joseph-Beth to open in former Borders location; Eleventh Step Books turns 20; New bookstore to open in Missouri

A consignment arrangement with small presses has enabled Farley’s Bookshop in New Hope, Pennsylvania, to build a deeper inventory selection that has grown customer interest and the store’s bottom line.

New owners update Linden Tree; Horizon Books celebrates 50 years; Watchung Booksellers turns 20; Hockessin Book Shelf is 10; Two Madison bookstores to merge; Bodhi Tree finds new owners

To counter the increasing number of customers who come to events after purchasing the featured book elsewhere, some booksellers are creating alternative ways to ensure a profit.

Last week, Mysterious Galaxy opened its new store in Redondo Beach, California, and was met with a warm welcome from the community.

Michael Moore chose his local indie booksellers — Brilliant Books, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, and Saturn Booksellers — to sell signed first editions of his new memoir, Here Comes Trouble: Stories From My Life.

RiverRead Books in Binghamton, New York, and Farley’s Bookshop in New Hope, Pennsylvania, are both fine structurally, but are operating in cities that were heavily affected by flood damage and had mandatory evacuations last week.

Aaron’s Books co-sponsors Lititz Kid-Lit Festival; Phoenix Books opens Art Gallery; The Book House celebrates 25 years; Left Bank to open downtown location in December; Bookshop Santa Cruz to manage Cabrillo College bookstore; La Casa Azul launches capital campaign; Community Bookstore turns 40

Last week, Maple Street Book Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana, celebrated the grand opening of its newest location, a branch in the city’s new Healing Arts Center.