2019 PW Bookstore, Sales Rep of the Year Announced

Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has won this year’s Publishers Weekly Bookstore of the Year Award. In an announcement on March 28, PW also named Cindy Heidemann, a PGW and Two Rivers sales representative, as its 2019 Sales Rep of the Year.

Founders Hilary and Michael Gustafson opened Literati six years ago after moving back to Michigan from Brooklyn when Borders went out of business in 2011, according to PW. Since then, Literati has grown from 600 square feet, seven employees, and 9,000 books to 4,000 square feet, 27 employees, and nearly 30,000 books, in addition to a coffee shop.

In her nomination of Literati, Kate McKune of HarperCollins, who was named PW Rep of the Year in 2007, wrote that the store boasts a great selection, features events and subscription clubs, and maintains a commitment to the community.

“The store has seen double-digit growth most years since it opened,” wrote McKune, who attributed part of the store’s success to Hilary’s knowledge of retail garnered from her previous job as an in-house rep for Simon & Schuster. “Publishers regularly trust them to host major authors, most recently Louise Penny, who sold out a ticketed 900-seat offsite event. Mike published a book about life at the store, [Notes from a Public Typewriter].”

PW named Cindy Heidemann, a Publishers Group West (PGW) and Two Rivers sales representative in the Northwest, as the 2019 PW Rep of the Year. Heidemann worked at the University of Oregon Bookstore before becoming a commission rep for Redsides Pub Services; in 2003, she joined PGW.

Robert Sindelar, ABA president and managing partner of Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, Ravenna, and Seward Park, Washington, wrote in his nomination: “In an ever-growing and challenging list to navigate, Cindy is a master at helping buyers focus on what is important for their stores. Her judgment and insight are valued by all of our buyers.”

The pre-BookExpo edition of Publishers Weekly will feature in-depth interviews with the 2019 award winners.