Around Indies

Left Bank Books Owner Featured in Kirkus

Kris Kleindienst, the co- owner of Left Bank Books in St. Louis, Missouri, was recently featured in a Q&A about industry trends and topics in Kirkus Reviews. When asked about the uniqueness of the indie market, Kleindeist responded: 

“I think what indie bookstores can be is flexible and elastic, responding quickly to our communities’ interests and to new developments in publishing in ways that are expressly crafted to our part of the universe. This means that there is always something new to look forward to when you go into stores like Left Bank Books, and there is still a familiarity with our essence.”

Booksellers who wish to be considered for a Q&A with Kirkus can contact Senior Indie Editor Karen Schechner at [email protected].

Well-Read Moose to Open its Doors

In early June, former financial executive Melissa DeMotte plans to open the Well-Read Moose bookstore in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

In addition to having a background in finance, DeMotte has attended ABA events as well as a workshop with Paz & Associates and has dedicated two years to developing a realistic business model. A Small Business Administration loan is helping her finance the store’s inventory of 15,000 books.

The 2,700-square-foot store will sell books, greeting cards, and educational games and will include an area that book clubs can reserve for meetings. An in-store café will serve coffee and pastries, as well as beer and wine.

“Our lives are all so hectic,” DeMotte told the Spokesman-Review. “I wanted a place where people could connect.”

Common Good Books Announces Poetry Contest Winners

Common Good Books in St. Paul, Minnesota, has announced the winners of its second annual national poetry contest, whose theme was “love poems.”

Since the contest was announced on Valentine’s Day, the store received more than 1,000 entries from across the country and settled on 25 finalists. The store’s proprietor, Garrison Keillor, wrote an essay about the poems and hosted the presentation of the winners at Macalester College on April 27. The grand prize winner of $1,000 was Kristal Leebrick of St. Paul for her poem “New Year Love.” Four runners-up were also announced and awarded prizes of $250.