59 ABA Member Stores Open in 2014, 29 Sold to New Owners*

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Updated: February 6, 2015.*

In 2014, the American Booksellers Association welcomed 59 indie bookstores that opened in 25 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is the largest number of new stores joining ABA in a single year since the start of the Great Recession in 2008.

The new stores include nine branches or satellites of existing businesses and five stores selling primarily used books.

In another sign of the health of independent bookstores, 29 established ABA member businesses were bought by new owners.

One of the youngest stores joining ABA in 2014 was Washington, D.C.’s Upshur Street Books, which has thrived since its opening on November 1, said Anna Thorn, the store’s general manager. “We were lucky to be opening in the holiday season, so it helped in getting the word out. Everybody was eager to come in and eager to shop, and they got to know the store.”

Upshur owner Paul Ruppert decided to lay ground for the bookstore right next door to his Petworth Citizen restaurant, which already offered a lending library and reading room. He funded the bookstore with the help of a Great Streets Small Business Capital Improvement Grant from the city, which went toward construction, and a Kickstarter campaign, which garnered $20,000 for inventory, Thorn said.

Since its opening, Upshur has studded its calendar with events and activities for booklovers: children’s author events and sing-alongs, appearances by local and debut authors, local artist showcases, documentary film screenings paired with talks by academics, and a “book versus movie” discussion group that meets at Petworth’s bar next door. Thorn said plans for more workshops and classes are ongoing.

Bookends and Beginnings, which was opened by spouses Jeff Garrett and Nina Barrett in June in Evanston, Illinois, has succeeded despite the presence of what some might assume to be obstacles: potential competition from an enormous Barnes & Noble a few blocks away, campus bookstores associated with Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, and multiple small, used bookstores throughout the neighborhood.

The general bookstore offering new, used, and bargain books is in the former location of the well-known antiquarian bookstore Bookman’s Alley. “We opened in a community where there were really no full-service independent bookstores,” said Barrett, an author and former food reporter. “I have lived in Evanston for 30 years, so we were surprised that this store didn’t exist because Evanston is this big university town. What Cambridge is to Boston, Evanston is to Chicago; it’s like its own little city. We felt there was an independent bookstore desert here.”

It was Garrett, a rare library collections expert, who introduced one of the store’s surprise top sellers: a carefully curated selection of international children’s books in 26 different languages. Barrett said the success of these books makes sense because of the surrounding area’s diverse demographics, including Skokie, which Barrett described as “the biggest melting pot you can imagine.”

This June, Phinney Books took over the location of Santoro’s Books in Seattle, Washington’s Phinney Ridge-Greenwood neighborhood from longtime owner Carol Santoro. Tom Nissley, an eight-time Jeopardy! champion and former editor at Amazon, said that his new business was able to hit the ground running. “We have this great built-in community that is appreciative they still have a bookstore,” he said.

The space has gone through a number of cosmetic changes since Phinney Books’ opening. “It’s still a general interest, neighborhood bookstore — we’re mainly just giving it a new look,” Nissley said. He and his wife, Laura Silverstein, have also started a newsletter and instituted a “Phinney By Post” book club, which is already up to 80 subscribers who receive a new “forgotten classic” book in the mail every month.

Nissley’s high profile as a Jeopardy! winner helped the store draw some great press when it opened, including stories in the Seattle Times and the New York Times, and it still attracts customers today.

Overall, Nissley said he is grateful for the amount of support he has gotten from other booksellers in this reader-friendly community. “I know a lot of the booksellers in town, who, when I was first thinking about [opening the store], were more optimistic than I was,” he said. It was, in part, this encouragement from other independent booksellers that pushed him to follow through on his idea of becoming a bookstore owner.

Changing Hands Phoenix, a branch of Changing Hands’ 40-year-old flagship location in Tempe, also enjoyed positive press and had volumes of community support even before it opened on May 30.

Cindy Dach, who co-owns the business with store founders Gayle Shanks and Bob Sommer, said she never could have imagined that the Phoenix location, which includes First Draft Book Bar, would be running so well already.

“We’ve learned a lot about running two stores, including one with a bar in it,” Dach said. “It has just been going very smoothly, considering we took on something we’d never done before, something totally new.” She, Shanks, and Sommer “spoke to so many restaurant owners in the local community” that they encountered very few surprises, Dach added. But, she said with a laugh, they did discover that the espresso machine ran too loud during readings.

“We got a lot of great press in the very beginning; so many people in our community know we’re here,” Dach said, “but there are still so many people who don’t know we’re here yet. The next big tackle is continuing to communicate our presence, including through outreach and event pairing with local nonprofits and community groups.”

Here’s a look at the complete list of new stores, branches, and satellites joining the association in 2014:

ABA Member Stores/Branches Opening in 2014

Ancestry Books
2205 Lowry Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55411
612-521-4090
ancestrybooksmn.com

Battle Creek Books
51 Michigan Avenue West
Battle Creek, MI 49017
269-339-1877

Between the Lines Bookstore
1520 Thomas H. Delpit Drive
McKinley Alumni Center
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
225-288-7568

Bisbee Books & Music
2 Copper Queen Plaza
Bisbee, AZ 85603
206-375-1483
bisbeebam.com

Blue Frog Books
3615 East Grand River Avenue
Howell, MI 48843
517-552-6080
bluefrogbooksandmore.com

Book Burrow
21 Western Avenue
Cooper’s Corner, Lower Village
Kennebunk, ME 04043
207-204-5006
thebookburrow.com

Book Culture on Columbus
450 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024
212-595-1962
bookculture.com
(Branch)

Bookends & Beginnings
1712 Sherman Avenue, Rear 1
Evanston, IL 60201
224-999-7722
bookendsandbeginnings.com

Bookmark It
3201 Corrine Drive
Orlando, FL 32803
407-389-9870
bookmarkitorlando.com

Books & Books
The Cafe at Books & Books @ The Arsht Center
1300 Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, FL 33132
786-405-1744
booksandbooks.com
(Satellite)

BooksOrBooks
3460 East Sunset Road
Las Vegas, NV 89120
702-301-4275
booksorbooks.com
(Primarily Used Books)

Carmichael’s Kids
1313 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40204
502-709-4900
carmichaelsbookstore.com
(Branch)

Cavanaugh Collectibles
1928 43rd Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
425-241-4521

Changing Hands Phoenix
300 West Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85013
602-274-0067
changinghands.com
(Branch)

City Stacks Books and Coffee
1743 Wazee Street
Denver, CO 80202
303-297-1440
citystacks.com

Classic Lines
5825 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
412-422-2220

Clock Tower Books
105 Screven Street
Georgetown, SC 29440
843-546-8212

Content Bookstore
314 Division Street
Northfield, MN 55057
contentbookstore.com
507-222-9238

Daybreak Press Global Bookshop & Gathering Space
1665 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
651-756-7287
daybreak.rabata.org

Green Apple Books on the Park
1231 9th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
415-742-5833
greenapplebooks.com
(Branch)

Greenhouse Children’s Books
1122 Tittabawasse Road
Saginaw, MI 48604
989-752-6313
greenhouse-books.com

Harbor Books
20 Main Street
Sag Harbor, NY 11963
631-808-3401

Harris Used Books
3618 Canold Court
Raleigh, NC 27610
919-817-1733
harrisusedbooks.com
(Primarily Used Books)

Ideas
2102 Kimberton Road
Kimberton, PA 19442
252-895-1140

Inscribed Books & Gifts
3914 Miami Road
Cincinnati, OH 45227
513-272-8000

Jack & Allie’s
520 Hartford Turnpike
Vernon, CT 06066
860-375-8465
jackandallies.com

Joe’s Place
640 South Main Street
Greenville, SC 29601
864-558-0828
(Primarily Used Books)

Kicks Mix Bookstore
38 South 3rd Street
Newark, OH 43055
740-345-9800
kicksmixbooks.com

King City Books
104 North 9th Street
Mount Vernon, IL 62864
618-315-6774

NeNe’s Books & Cafe
100 North Walnut Street
Clarksville, TX 75426
214-695-5471
nenesbooksandcafe.com

On the Dot Books
Dot2Dot Cafe
1739 Dorchester Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02124
617-704-8641
onthedotbooks.com

Once Upon a Storybook
17300 East 17th Street
Tustin, CA 92780
onceuponastorybook.us
714-357-9950

Once Upon a Tome Bookstore
655 Washington Street
Eden, NC 27288
828-226-3584

Out West Books
533 Main Street
Grand Junction, CO 81501
970-986-8086

Pages on Livernois
21635 Stanstead Road
Northville, MI 48167
248-982-1590
pagesonlivernois.com

Pageturners Bookstore
101 East Salem Avenue
Indianola, IA 50125
515-423-8797
pageturnersbookstore.com

Papercuts, JP
5 Green Street
Boston, MA 02130
617-522-3404
facebook.com/papercutsjp

Phinney Books
7405 Greenwood Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103
206-940-4764
phinneybooks.com

Politics & Prose @ Busboys and Poets
625 Monroe Street
Washington, DC 20017
202-636-7230
politics-prose.com
(Satellite)

Queer Books
430 Gaskill Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-253-7632
queerbooksphilly.com

Reader’s Nook
52F-1 Estate Thomas
St. Thomas, VI 00802
340-244-4060
readersnookvi.com

RoscoeBooks
2142 West Roscoe Street
Chicago, IL 60618
978-549-1771
roscoebooks.com

Scuppernong Books
304 South Elm Street
Greensboro, NC 27401
336-763-1919
scuppernongbooks.com

Short Stories Community Book Hub
52 Cambridge Street
Madison, NJ 07940
973-879-2439
shortstoriesnj.com

Stratton Street Bookstore
214 Stratton Street
Logan, WV 25601
304-752-8780

Sweetwood Books
1524 County Road 220
Fleming Island, FL 32003
904-401-1551

Tattered Cover at Denver International Airport
8500 Pena Avenue
Denver, CO 80249
tatteredcover.com
(Satellite)

Tattered Cover at Union Station
1701 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202
tatteredcover.com
(Satellite)

The Curious Reader
229 Rock Road
Glen Rock, NJ 07452
201-444-1918
thecuriousreaderbooks.com

The Faded Cover
105 South 1st Street
La Conner, WA 98257
360-399-1673
thefadedcover.com
(Primarily Used Books)

The Novel Neighbor
7905 Big Bend Boulevard
Webster Groves, MO 63119
314-738-9384
thenovelneighbor.com

The Purple Chair
2302 Gruene Lake Drive
New Braunfels, TX 78130
830-387-4837
thepurplechairnb.com

The Well-Read Moose
2048 North Main Street
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814
208-771-5810

The Writer’s Block
1020 Fremont Street
Las Vegas, NV 89101
702-550-6399
thewritersblock.org

Tubby & Coo’s Mid-City Book Shop
631 North Carrollton Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70119
504-598-5536
tubbyandcoos.com

Upshur Street Books
827 Upshur Street NW
Washington, DC 20011
202-726-0380
upshurstreetbooks.com

White Deer Books
100 Whiting Street
Winsted, CT 06098
860-491-6564
(Branch – Primarily Used Books)

Wicked Good Books
215 Essex Street
Salem, MA 01970
978-594-1938
wickedgoodbookstore.com

Writer’s Block Bookstore
124 East Welbourne Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789
407-385-7084
writersblockbookstore.com

ABA Member Stores Welcoming New Owners in 2014*

Appletree Books
New owner: Alice Webster
12419 Cedar Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106
216-791-2665
appletree-books.com

Bank Street Book Nook
New owner: Vanessa Gronbach
50 Bank Street
New Milford, CT 06776
bankstreetbooks.net
860-354-3865

Bay Books
New owner: Moira Kelly
2415 San Ramon Valley Boulevard
San Ramon, CA 94583
925-855-1524
baybooks.us

Best of Books
New owner: Joe Hight
Kickingbird Square
1313 East Danforth Road
Edmond, OK 73034
405-340-9202
bestofbooksedmond.com

Bookheads
New owner: Cara Scofield
216 East Mill Street
Plymouth, WI 53073
920-892-6657

Booksmith
New owner: VaLinda Payne-Miller
283 Market Street
Seneca, SC 29678
864-885-0872
thebooksmith.com

Broadway Books
New co-owner: Kim Bissell
1714 NE Broadway Street
Portland, OR 97232
503-284-1726
broadwaybooks.net

Buffalo Books
New owner: Deb Lefebvre
6 Division Street East
Buffalo, MN 55313
763-682-3147

Cannon Beach Book Company
New owners: Deb Mersereau and Maureen Dooley-Sroufe
130 North Hemlock
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
503-436-1301
cannonbeachbooks.com

Cottage Book Shop
New owner: Sue Boucher
Box 115
5989 Lake Street 
Glen Arbor, Michigan 49636
231-334-4223
www.cottagebooks.com

Eight Cousins
New owners: Sara Hines, Mary Fran Buckley, and Eileen Miskell
189 Main Street
Falmouth, MA 02540
508-548-5548
eightcousins.com

Giovanni’s Room
New owner: Philly AIDS Thrift
345 South 12th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-923-2960
giovannisroom.com

Green Toad Bookstore
New owner: Jim Havener
198 Main Street
Oneonta, NY 13820
607-433-8898
greentoadbookstore.com

Harleysville Books
New owner: Stephanie Steinly
Salford Square
680 Main Street
Harleysville, PA 19438
215-256-9311
harleysvillebooks.com

Hearthside Books Etc.
New owner: Brenda Weaver
Nugget Mall
8745 Glacier Highway
Juneau, AK 99801
907-789-2750
hearthsidebooks.com

Lift Bridge Books
New owner: Jon Bonczyk
45 Main Street
Brockport, NY 14420
585-637-2260
liftbridgebooks.com

Main Street Books
New owner: Emily and Andrew Hall
307 South Main Street
Saint Charles, MO 63301
636-949-0105
mainstreetbooks.net

Nicola’s Books
New owners: Bill and Cecile Fehsenfeld
2513 Jackson Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-662-0600
nicolasbooks.com

Orinda Books
New owners: Maria and Danny Roden
276 Village Square
Orinda, CA 94563
925-254-7606
orindabooks.com

Owl & Turtle Bookshop
New owner: Selena Sheaves
33 Bay View Street
Camden, ME 04843
207-230-7335
owlandturtle.com

Paperbacks Plus
New owner: Alex Williams
1618 Bay Street
Port Orchard, WA 98366
360-876-7224
pbkplus.com

Parnassus Books
New owner: Charlotte Glover
105 Stedman Street
Ketchikan, AK 99901
907-225-7690
ketchikanbooks.com

Penguin Bookshop
New owner: Susan Hans O’Connor
417 ½ Beaver Street
Sewickley, PA 15143
412-741-3838
penguinbookshop.com

Stinson Beach Bookshop
New owner: Bonnie Sullivan
3455 Shoreline Highway
Stinson Beach, CA 94970
415-868-0700

That Bookstore in Blytheville
New owner: Chris Crawley
316 West Main Street
Blytheville, AR 72315
800-844-8306
thatbookstoreinblytheville.com

The Bookshelf
New owner: Annie Jones
126 South Broad Street
Thomasville, GA 31792
229-228-7767
bookshelfandgallery.com

The Galaxy Bookshop
New owners: Sandy Scott and Andrea Jones
41 South Main Street
Hardwick, VT 05843
802-472-5533
galaxybookshop.com

Women & Children First
New owners: Lynn Mooney and Sarah Hollenbeck
5233 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640
773-769-9299
womenandchildrenfirst.com


If your store opened in 2014 or you became the new owner of an existing ABA member store and we did not include you on this list, please let us know. We’ll be happy to update the list and to run an addendum in an upcoming edition of BTW.