Retailing, specifically bookselling, is honorable and difficult work. Some might say it is not, however, on a par with saving lives or curing cancer. That's what makes Kathleen Jewell, owner of Wilmington, North Carolina's new store, Pomegranate Books such an intriguing addition to the bookselling community. She has a foot in both worlds.
This week, BookSense.com announced the launch of a redesigned BookSense.com search engine that is expected to significantly increase the relevancy of consumers' search results. "The new search has been improved in a number of ways and will provide more consistent results in terms of speed and stability," said BookSense.com Director Len Vlahos.
If new bookseller Karen Emmerling could go back in time and listen to three words of advice before launching her general bookstore, Beach Books, in the small coastal town of Seaside, Oregon, she would want someone to tell her, "Do more research." After being open for two months, she confessed, "There's an awful lot more to think about than I probably considered, not having had a background in retail or books." But despite the warp-speed learning process, "everything has really fallen into place," she said.
Cornerstone Books, a 3,000-square-foot bookstore/cafe in historic Salem, Massachusetts, celebrated its grand opening Wednesday with a visit from the town's mayor to cut the ribbon, an evening of live entertainment from the Squatcho Bondo Band of Gloucester, and food and drink for all.
The store, owned by Gilbert Pili, managed by his brother Erik, with old friend Dan Johnson doing the buying, has long been a gleam in Pili's eye. But for many months, Cornerstone's opening was bedeviled by impediments of all sorts.
As part of a strong movement to revitalize downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, an independent bookstore and cafe opened on December 10 in the former Steketee's department store. River Bank Books & Music, owned by Debra Lambers of the Book Nook & Java Shop in Montague, Michigan, occupies about 10,000 of the 100,000 square feet of space in the eight-story landmark building, completed in 1917.
Here's a look at new ABA-member bookstores opening in November, plus several stores that opened over the spring and summer, which were not previously reported in Bookselling This Week. Also listed are several member stores that have recently changed ownership.
Former librarians Kimberly Diehm and Jennifer Graves are preparing to open The NeverEnding Story Children's Bookshoppe in Las Vegas, Nevada, in February 2006. Here, they share their experiences in gathering information to help them make the decision to become booksellers, about writing a business plan, and in finding financing.
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Retailing, specifically bookselling, is honorable and difficult work. Some might say it is not, however, on a par with saving lives or curing cancer. That's what makes Kathleen Jewell, owner of Wilmington, North Carolina's new store, 
As part of a strong movement to revitalize downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, an independent bookstore and cafe opened on December 10 in the former Steketee's department store. River Bank Books & Music, owned by Debra Lambers of the Book Nook & Java Shop in Montague, Michigan, occupies about 10,000 of the 100,000 square feet of space in the eight-story landmark building, completed in 1917.