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McNally Jackson Expands Into Brooklyn

McNally Jackson Books of New York City has opened a second bookstore location in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood.

McNally Jackson Books has opened a new bookstore in Brooklyn.
McNally Jackson Books has opened a new bookstore in Brooklyn.

The Bklyner news website, calling McNally Jackson an independent bookselling icon, reported that the new bookstore has roughly 35,000 titles in stock.

Store manager Sam MacLaughlin told Bookselling This Week that the 4,000-square-foot store opened on Sunday in a former steel factory that’s been rejuvenated as its surrounding streets have been revitalized. “It’s a neighborhood that is full of people who want to read, and there hadn’t been a big general-interest, new bookstore,” MacLaughlin said.

He said he’s excited to work in the new space, which features a large ground floor and a mezzanine. “We’ve imported all the best things about the McNally on Prince Street and put them in this beautiful space,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the neighborhood, the customers, and the staff shape how it evolves.”

The children’s section is particularly of note since the demographics of the area support that section. “It’s a neighborhood that’s rife with babies, and we have an amazing kids’ section with lot of story times and events to come,” said MacLaughlin.

MacLaughlin added that devotees of the original bookstore on Prince Street will feel at home in Brooklyn, which will feature literature organized by nation. “One of the things that was very important to us was keeping the literature section the same size,” he said. “People can expect to find a big, healthy literature section with books in translation, and everything else besides.”

While McNally Jackson also operates two stationery stores called Goods for the Study on Mulberry and Eighth streets in Manhattan, the Brooklyn bookstore will have a “beautiful array of pens and stationery,” MacLaughlin said. “And lots and lots of books.”

Cover to Cover Books for Young Readers Reopens Under New Ownership

Cover to Cover Books for Young Readers of Columbus, Ohio, hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 21 to celebrate its opening in a new location under new ownership.

Cover to Cover held a ribbon-cutting on January 21.
Cover to Cover held a ribbon-cutting on January 21.

Melia Wolf, the new owner of the 37-year-old bookstore, gave a tour to Columbus Business First, explaining that she hopes to serve the community at the new location at 2116 Arlington Avenue. “We want to help keep independent bookstores alive. There is a need to get more books into children’s hands and less screens,” Wolf said.

A photo slideshow on the newspaper’s website highlights Wolf’s effort to preserve the store’s legacy, in particular a wall that was signed by visiting writers and artists. Wolf replicated images of the wall on wallpaper, which is in place behind some bookshelves, as well as on tissue paper used to wrap books.

The new store has a guest book for authors to sign, with the first signature coming from an author who also signed the original wall: Jon Scieszka, author of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (Viking Books for Young Readers).

In an interview with Bookselling This Week, Wolf said that more than 200 people showed up to the ribbon-cutting and author event with Scieszka, which was held at the middle school next door to the bookstore. “We had the kids come in homemade robot costumes to meet Jon. His latest series of books is about an inventor and his robots,” Wolf said. “The bakery next door baked cookies that looked like characters from some of Jon’s books.”

The store is open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily. “We’ve been fortunate that there are customers in as we open and still customers shopping as we close most nights,” Wolf said. “Our Saturday morning story times have been a big hit, very crowded.”

Maine’s Books N Things Gets New Owner, New Name

Books N Things of Norway, Maine, has been sold to a new owner who expects to reopen the bookstore in March under a new name, the Sun Journal reported.

Books N Things will be renamed Tribune Books and Gifts.
Books N Things will be renamed Tribune Books and Gifts.

Erica Jed sold the bookstore after 12 years of ownership. The doors closed Saturday, and new owner Adrienne Cote will take over on February 1. After renovations and a name change to Tribune Books and Gifts, the bookstore is set for a March 3 reopening, the Sun Journal reported.

“I’m really excited,” Cote told the newspaper. “I really appreciate and respect what Erica has done. I’m excited to pick up the torch and carry it on. It won’t be a lot different than Books N Things but the name will be changed.”

The bookstore sells new and used books, toys, magazines, greeting cards, and other merchandise. Cote has had a long career in merchandising, sourcing, design, and retail strategy. She is a founding partner at Narducci Design.

Scuppernong Books to Host Anniversary Party

Scuppernong Books in Greensboro, North Carolina, is throwing itself a fourth anniversary party on Saturday, February 4.

Scuppernong Books is planning an anniversary party.
Scuppernong Books is planning an anniversary party.

“Come celebrate 4 years of books, wine, and community! Catering by Jerusalem Market, drink specials, music, prizes, sock puppets, and the announcement of the customer of the year!” the store wrote on its website.

The Carolinian newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro interviewed Scuppernong co-owner Brian Lampkin, who said he and co-owner Nancy Hoffmann feel their store is “embraced by the city.”

“Greensboro needs an independent bookstore,” Lampkin told The Carolinian.

Hoffmann spoke with the newspaper about the store’s location in a newly renovated 120-year-old historic building in the heart of downtown Greensboro. “When I bought this building it had been boarded up for 25 years,” Hoffmann said. “It was a wreck, and we made it live again.”

Scuppernong Books, which opened on December 21, 2013, is a general interest and literary bookstore with a large children’s section and a cafe serving organic coffee and espresso, wine and beer, and fresh sandwiches made in house.

Monkey See, Monkey Do Named Local Small Business of the Year

Monkey See, Monkey Do…Children’s Bookstore of Clarence, New York, has been chosen as the 2018 Small Business of the Year by the Clarence Chamber of Commerce.

The Clarence Bee reported that the criteria for selection is an “unselfish devotion to improving the quality of life in the Clarence community.”

Owner Kim Krug, talking to Bookselling This Week, said she plans to bring her booksellers, staff, and close friends associated with the bookstore to the awards dinner on March 1 to celebrate the recognition for the bookstore’s work in the community.

“I feel really good,” Krug said. “It’s a big year for us because we are celebrating 10 years in business this June. It’s quite an honor to receive this award from our local community. It really feels like things are coming together, with the community responding, getting to know us better and what we do and provide, and hopefully we are a good part of their families’ life.”

Northshire Bookstore Providing More Scholarships After Donations

Northshire Bookstore, which has locations in Manchester Center, Vermont, and Saratoga Springs, New York, has expanded its new college scholarship from $1,000 to $10,000 after local donors Tony Whaling and Brian Barefoot contributed $9,000, according to a report in the Manchester Journal.

While originally envisioned as a single $1,000 prize, three scholarships will now be awarded to the winners of an essay contest focusing on the meaning of an “open mind,” the newspaper reported.

Co-owner Chris Morrow has said he was motivated to create the scholarship to encourage young people to expose themselves to unbiased ideas and information.

The first prize winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship, the second a $3,000 scholarship, and third place will win a $2,000 scholarship.

"The fact that others in the community see the value in this endeavor is personally gratifying, but, more importantly, will be of great benefit to Vermont students,” Morrow told the Manchester Journal. “Having $10,000 to give away is great, and I want to thanks Tony and Brian for their contributions.”

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