Barbara’s Seeks to Reopen at Boston’s South Station

Donald Barliant, owner of Chicago-based Barbara’s Bookstores, told the Boston Business Journal this week that he hopes to reach a deal to reopen the Barbara’s Bestsellers book stall at Boston’s South Station in new a location within the station. Earlier in the week, the paper had reported that the stall had closed.

“I love our South Station location, it’s one of the best remaining bookstores in Boston and it was very profitable and always was,” Barliant told the paper. Barbara’s has six shops at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and a small space at Macy’s in Downtown Crossing. According to BBJ, the South Station lease expired about two years ago and the store had been on a month-to-month lease.

The River’s End Celebrates 15 Years

To mark 15 years of bookselling, Mindy Ostrow and Bill Reilly (right), co-owners of the river’s end bookstore in Oswego, New York, are inviting the public to a month-long celebration beginning Wednesday, May 1.

In a press release, the store’s staff extended thanks to the community “for embracing the bookstore and making it their own!”

Page & Palette Appeals to Community

During a talk at the Fairhope Museum of History, Page & Palette bookstore owner Karin Wilson made a gentle appeal to the town, reported the Fairhope Courier. After discussing her love of books, and proudly talking about her grandmother –– from whom she purchased the store –– Wilson addressed the financial challenges facing the store, as well as its value in the community.

The store launched a contest to involve local people in selecting a proper name for its supporters. There were dozens of entries, with this one by Dave Hankinson winning: “I’m a Page & Palette Bookmark! Helping to keep our place in the community.” 

Boswell Owner Profiled

Daniel Goldin, owner of Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was recently profiled by Milwaukee Magazine, which credited him for maintaining a successful, well-curated store despite a strong shift to digital reading, as well as helping launch the careers of many bestselling authors. “Since opening Boswell in 2009, Goldin has made quite the mark on Milwaukee,” Milwaukee Magazine said.

The two-page profile details Goldin’s humble beginnings as a publicity assistant at Warner Books, and later as a bookseller at Milwaukee’s Schwartz Bookshops. Three days after Schwartz Bookshops closed, Goldin opened Boswell in one of the store’s smaller locations. He formed a bookselling team, restructured the space, and started bringing in books and authors.

The success of the store is often seen as a direct result of Goldin’s attention to detail –– from the way he organizes the store, to the authors he praises. “The way Daniel’s brain works is that he thinks small –– not in a denigrating way –– but in the nitty-gritty details,” staff member John Mesjak told the magazine. “No detail is too fine for him to focus on.”