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Owners Mark 30 Years at The Bennington Bookshop

Ellen and Richard Havlak are celebrating 30 years as owners of The Bennington Bookshop, which in 2008 marked its 80th anniversary on Main Street in Bennington, Vermont.

In 1929, the bookstore's founder, Ron Sinclare, purchased the Griswald Department Store, which offered everything from sporting goods and bicycles to toys and books. In the ensuing years, the bookshop, which Sinclare had renamed The Bennington Bookshop, was sold twice and relocated to various locations on Main Street, before being purchased by the Havlaks in November 1979. At that time, the business offered a major line of greeting cards, office supplies, art supplies, and also a small book department.

The Havlaks purchased the book department along with The Bennington Bookshop name. In honor of their three decades of ownership, the Havleks hosted a giant sale on Friday, November 13.

Everyone's Books Celebrates 25th Anniversary in Brattleboro

Nancy Braus and Rich Geidel opened Everyone's Books in Brattleboro, Vermont, 25 years ago, because, Braus told the Brattleboro Reformer, "Brattleboro seemed like a good place to set up a store and send our kids to school." She believes that the bookstore, which has become a mecca for critical thinkers, will be able to weather competition from online media and electronic books, in part, because of its extensive inventory of children's books. "Most people are not going to read to their children using Kindle," Braus told the newspaper. "And parents who are connected to the community appreciate the independent bookstores. They have a better understanding of what's needed to make a community function."

Noting that the bookstore's full name is Everyone's Books for Social Justice and the Earth, the newspaper added, "The store is stocked with books you might not find in a chain store, as well as politically motivated bumper stickers, postcards, pins, and T-shirts." Everyone's Books also offers nature, outdoor, travel, and cook books, as well as discounted curriculum materials for teachers and students.

Everyone's Books is celebrating its 25th anniversary on December 4 with music, food, and drink, and will be donating some of its profits to 25 different nonprofit and social change organizations in celebration of its 25 years.

Elliott Bay's Aaron Contemplates Move

On Sunday, November 29, the Los Angeles Times reported on the future of The Elliott Bay Book Co., which, it said, "is facing the likely choice of either moving across town or closing altogether when its lease is up January 31."

Owner Peter Aaron told the newspaper that the store's location in Pioneer Square has been "the driving factor" behind declining sales that have put the iconic bookstore in a precarious position for the last four or five years. He is now contemplating a move out of downtown, possibly to Seattle's Capitol Hill area, an established residential neighborhood with a thriving student population.

Noting that Elliott Bay "has always done more than sell books," the L.A. Times said, "It has the most active reading program in the country, holding more than 500 readings a year in its intimate, book-filled gathering room downstairs.... The cozy, independently run cafe, also downstairs, is rumored to be the inspiration for Cafe Nervosa on the Seattle-based television series Frasier. Upstairs, on the main floor, there is an entire wall of staff-recommended books, and the shelves throughout the store are flecked with handwritten cards from the store's knowledgeable staff."

Sam Weller's Continues Search for New Location

The Salt Lake Tribune noted that this may be the last Christmas at its Main Street address for Sam Weller's Books. As previously reported by BTW, in March owners Tony and Catherine Weller announced their intentions to move the store from its longtime downtown Salt Lake City location to a smaller, more efficient downtown location.

"It will be a bittersweet holiday season for us," Catherine Weller told the Tribune. "This time of year always brings a lot of excitement, but we're also a little sentimental about this location."

Now that David Keith, co-owner of the store's current location, has agreed to list the entire property for sale, instead of just the Wellers' 50-percent interest, it's more likely a buyer will be found.

Catherine Weller told the Tribune that she was surprised by the large amount of space available for lease in the downtown area as opposed to the small amount of property up for sale. "That has been a challenge since we are committed to buying another building," she told the newspaper. Plans for the new Sam Weller's include a carefully chosen inventory of new, used, and rare books.