Around Indies

Bookmans Awards $21,000 to Publicly Funded Arizona Schools

Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, with several locations in Arizona, awarded $15,000 to Pueblo Magnet High School in Tucson and $3,000 to both Safford K-8 Magnet International Baccalaureate World School in Tucson and Dobson High School in Mesa, as part of the Bookmans School Challenge.

The Bookmans School Challenge was launched in 2007 to help educators encourage a love of reading in their students and to help offset the criticism that public education has been receiving with stories of inspiration. To apply, schools presented an outline of themselves as a community, what they do well, and how they planned to apply an award.

Left Bank Co-Owner Featured

In an interview featured in STL Curator, Kris Kleindienst, co-owner of Left Bank Books in St. Louis, Missouri, reflected on her 40-year career at the bookstore.

“I think what is at the heart of our store is a progressive ethos,” said Kleindienst. “We’re not sectarian, and we’re not socialist or democrats or republicans. We’re just, kind of, the voice of the people, if you will.”

Kleindienst started at the bookstore in 1974 because, she told the Curator, “I needed a job. And I knew the store, I knew the people.” Three years later, Kleindienst and another bookseller bought out the former owners. And now, “I can’t imagine being anywhere else,” she said.

The Wild Detectives Opens its Doors

Last weekend The Wild Detectives opened in Dallas, Texas, reported the Dallas Observer.

The bookstore and café, housed inside a small but cozy orange bungalow, offers a curated selection of new and used books as well as coffee and beer. The shop has plans to be a hub for creative thought, hosting author talks and book clubs.

Second Tattered Cover Opens in Denver International

This week, Tattered Cover Book Store opened its second location at Denver International Airport (DIA), located in Concourse A. Two more Tattered Cover outposts are scheduled to open in DIA, as part of an agreement with Hudson Booksellers.  

The remaining Tattered Cover and Hudson stores will have staggered openings throughout 2014. Upon completion, the Tattered Cover stores will be located in all three concourses as well as the Jeppesen Terminal.

“Our customers have been delighted by the addition of the Tattered Cover,” Kim Day, Denver’s manager of aviation, told Airport World. “This Colorado brand brings a specially curated selection of reading material that raises the bar for airport book stores, and continues our efforts to offer a better variety of shops and amenities for our customers.”

Bookstores Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ Birthday

Last Saturday, booksellers including R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, Connecticut, and Phoenix Books, with locations in Essex and Burlington, Vermont, celebrated the 110th birthday of Dr. Seuss.

R.J. Julia set out to break the world record of the number of Cat in the Hat-style hats in one gathering. The bookstore sailed past the previous record of 281 with an impressive 1,000 people donning the distinctive red-and-white striped hat.

Phoenix Books hosted events in conjunction with Read Across America, including a Cat in the Hat story time and activities such as making Cat in the Hat pencil toppers.