Around Indies

Left Bank Books Honored With Cakeway to the West

This week, as part of a year-long celebration marking St. Louis, Missouri’s 250^th anniversary, stl250, the organization serving as the event’s master of ceremonies, announced the top 50 winners of Cakeway to the West, a contest that serves to highlight places of note throughout the St. Louis region.

After six weeks of voting and more than 40,000 votes cast, Left Bank Books landed in the top 50 list beside other area landmarks such as Busch Stadium, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, the Fox Theatre, and Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.

“This is a big honor for an independent bookstore, and shows just how much of a literary city St. Louis really is,” said Lauren Wiser, marketing and publicity manager at Left Bank Books.

Left Bank Books will receive a four-foot-tall cake sculpture decorated by local artists, which will serve as an interactive beacon of the St. Louis region’s diverse places, stories, and experiences. Each cake will utilize smart phones and the stl250 app, which will launch on February 14.

The Doylestown Bookshop Takes to YouTube

The Doylestown Bookshop in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, has released the YouTube video “Books? Books. BOOKS!” — the third in a series of humorous and informative productions created by employee Sean Curran, whose background in improv comedy has paid off in other ways for the bookstore.

“Not to toot my own horn, but I’m a pretty good salesman,” Curran told the Philadelphia Business Journal. “If you come in looking for one book and are in a bad mood, I send you out with 10 books and a smile on your face.”

Doylestown prides itself on offering helpful, personal –– and often entertaining –– service.

Apple Blossom Partnership Grows

Over the past four years, Apple Blossom Books in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, has formed a unique and successful collaborative relationship with neighboring Caramel Crisp Café, this week’s Midwest Independent Booksellers Association’s newsletter reported. This holiday season, the two businesses went a step further and co-merchandised gift packages that brought together the best of both stores.

“The feedback has been phenomenal,” said Apple Blossom owner Candy Pearson, adding that the gift packages helped bring the store’s sales up from last year by more than 30 percent.

Fueled by their success, the business owners are planning a remodel –– tearing down more of the wall between the stores, opting for free-flowing space over a door, painting, and adding track lighting. Pearson is also selling the fixtures and shelves that will be displaced due to the remodeling. See BTW’s Classifieds for more information.

Powell’s Begins Remodeling

On Monday, January 13, Powell’s Books in Portland, Oregon, will begin the early phases of a planned remodeling of its Green and Blue rooms. Updates and improvements will include a new entrance, a new roof, energy-efficient windows, fresh exterior paint, additional skylights, and new lighting. 

“After months of careful planning and preparation for this upgrade, it’s exciting to have the remodel project underway,” said Powell’s CEO Miriam Sontz. “We have been very conscientious about maintaining the high level of service and selection we normally offer our customers, and we’re confident that visitors will be able to enjoy the Powell’s experience as usual.”

 Customers can follow the remodeling process on Powell’s website.

Washington State Bookstores Merge

Anna and Peter Quinn, owners of Writers’ Workshoppe in Port Townsend, Washington, have purchased nearby Imprint Books from David and Judy Hartman, who ran the store for 30 years.

The new store, which for the time being will be called The Writers’ Workshoppe and Imprint Books, will bring the best of both stores together to provide a full-service bookstore along with Writers’ Workshoppe’s combination of gifts and workshops for writers, the Quinns told the Peninsula Daily News.

The Quinns hope to open in the Imprint Books location by March 1.

Pegasus Calendar Sale Draws Hordes

Photo credit: Ted Friedman

On New Year’s Day, Pegasus Books, which has two locations in Berkeley, California, and another in Oakland, hosted what it dubs “the earth’s biggest calendar sale.”

Berkeleyside noted that the annual tradition, which draws hordes of customers, has built over 30 years. Pegasus sells the calendars at $3.99 or three for $10, and the sale continues until the stock runs out.