Around Indies

Penguin Bookshop Seeks New Owners

Janet and Bud McDanel, owners of the Penguin Bookshop, in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, have announced that they hope to sell the store by the end of the year.

“It certainly needs new, younger owners,” Janet McDanel told the Sewickley Herald. The McDanels purchased the store now 84-year-old store in 2007 and put $1 million into renovating the property. “The bookstore is vital to Sewickley,” she said. “It’s a meeting place.”

Copperfield’s to Open New Location

Copperfield’s Books, in Sebastopol, California, plans to open a new location in San Rafael in November. The new store will span 7,000 square feet and will include a cafe operated by a local independent coffee roaster.

“It’s a really exciting thing for Copperfield’s,” store co-owner Paul Jaffe told the Press Democrat. “We haven’t opened up a completely new store for many many years.”

Bookbound to Open in Ann Arbor

Bookbound, an independent bookstore that will feature new books, a generous children’s section, some used books, and a bargain book section, is slated to open in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the end of the summer.

Owners Peter Blackshear, a former book buyer for Borders, and his wife Megan, have set a tentative soft opening for August, and they are planning a grand opening for September. Blackshear believes his knowledge of bargain book buying will be the key to the new business’ success.

“One of the big things that is causing the brick and mortar bookstores to suffer is the competition from Amazon and other low-cost retailers,” Blackshear told Concentrate Media. “By throwing the bargain books in the mix, we’ll be able compete with Amazon.”