Around Indies

Chicago to Welcome RoscoeBooks This Fall

DNAinfo Chicago reported that Chicago, Illinois, will become home to another independent bookstore as of this fall. RoscoeBooks will open in the Roscoe Village neighborhood by mid-November, said owner Erika VanDam.

“It’s one of the few things we don’t have in the neighborhood,” she told the paper. “There’s something to be said for having things within walking distance.”

VanDam, who comes from a background in sales and marketing, attended a training workshop on opening a bookstore presented by Paz & Associates, which is also assisting with the store’s layout and design.

Children’s books will make up 20 to 25 percent of the store’s inventory, and VanDam plans to create a dynamic experience for customers by hosting author readings, book signings, and children’s story times.

Best of Books Changes Ownership

After 23 years as the owners of Best of Books, Julie Hovis and Kathy Kinasewitz completed the sale of the Edmond, Oklahoma, bookstore to Joe, Nan, and Elena Hight, on Wednesday, October 1, the Oklahoman reported. Kinasewitz noted that the Hights “are committed to the same high-quality service our customers expect.”

Joe Hight, the new president of Best of Books, was the editor of The Gazette in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and previously worked for The Oklahoman. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 2013. Best of Books’ secretary, Nan Hight, is a retired band director from Oklahoma schools. Elena Hight will serve as vice president and general manager of the store.

Town House Books Celebrates 40 Years

St. Charles, Illinois’ Town House Books celebrated its 40th anniversary on September 18 with an open house and champagne, the Sun Times reported.

Owner David Hunt told the paper that he had frequently visited Town House Books as a child and in 1992 offered to buy the store from then-owner Marilou Kelly. In 1996, Hunt expanded into an adjacent, shuttered restaurant space, adding a café to the bookstore that features scones, sandwiches, soups, and desserts.

“We can seat 45, and every day there is a line waiting,” said Hunt.

The Bookworm Relocates, Reopens

Fifty volunteers helped move The Bookworm in Omaha, Nebraska, from its Countryside Village location to its new home just over a mile away at Loveland Centre this week, reported the World-Herald.

Professional movers brought the books and merchandise to the new location, where customers and current and former employees helped set up and stock books. Seeing the support of so many community members, co-owner Beth Black was brought to tears, the World-Herald reported. “The outpouring of support from the community has been humbling,” she said. Black has owned the shop with her husband, Phillip Black, for 28 years.

On Thursday, October 2, the Blacks announced in an e-mail to customers that the store had received all permits and was officially open.

The new location is larger and is all on one level, making it fully accessible to any patron, and the space boasts tall ceilings, bright paint, west-facing windows, and a private room for book clubs. More seating will provide a comfortable feel and a small kitchen is available for making snacks. Additions to the inventory will include stuffed animals, games, and toys in the children’s section and Crane stationery and Moleskine notebooks at the front of the store.

Nantucket Bookworks to Undergo Total Renovation

This winter, Massachusetts’ Nantucket Bookworks will undergo a complete renovation, owner Wendy Hudson wrote in the store’s October newsletter, with plans for the addition of a second story and a basement. The store will close from late December until June, with much of Bookworks’ inventory going to sister store Mitchell’s Book Corner in the interim.

Noting that sales continue to dip each year, Hudson wrote, “My hope is to retain as much of the original feel and fixtures as possible, while at the same time making adaptations to make the store even more relevant.”

She also asked readers what they’d like to see change in the store and will take into consideration any suggestions. “We invite all thoughts to help us make the new improved version the best it can possibly be.”

The Bookshelf Prepares for One Book 2014

The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia, is co-sponsoring the One Book Thomas County program this month. Community partners have selected Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton (St. Martin’s Griffin), who will be visiting the town to speak and sign copies at the main event on October 18.

The program will kick off on October 2 with a mock trial at Thomas County Judicial Center, where The Bookshelf will sell books and tickets to the October 18 author event. Other events will include an area-wide book discussion, a night of music and poetry inspired by the book, a “Lessons Learned” presentation featuring personal stories of forgiveness, a panel of criminal justice professionals, a lunch and learn for working professionals, and a spokesperson from the Innocence Project.

“We were pleased to be a part of last year’s One Book program, but we’re even more thrilled to welcome the spirit of Picking Cotton to Thomasville,” said Annie Jones, co-owner of The Bookshelf. “The book lends itself to such a wide range of conversations, and it’s exciting to think that the whole community will be reading and talking together about the story Jennifer and Ronald share.”

Fountainhead Bookstore Hosts Bookapalooza

Authors Kim Boykin, Erika Marks, and Christy English at Fountainhead Bookstore

Hendersonville, North Carolina’s Fountainhead Bookstore hosted a Bookapalooza celebration on September 27 featuring author events, prize drawings, and tarot card readings.

Authors Kim Boykin, Erika Marks, and Christy English visited the store to meet with customers and sign books. “The authors were overheard saying to each other that coming to the Fountainhead Bookstore was like coming home and being welcomed with warmth, fondness, and lots of laughter,” said owner Valerie Welbourn.

“Those in attendance left with arms full of books and prizes, looking forward to another gathering at the spring 2015 Bookapalooza.”

Norbury Books and Café Set to Open

Norbury Books and Café in Weaverville, North Carolina, will be celebrating its grand opening on October 11 with an event featuring live music, treats, wine tastings, and children’s activities, the Citizen Times reported.

The store, co-owned by Rosanna Mulcahy and Travis Mulcahy, will stock more than 10,000 used books, focusing on Spanish-language titles, children’s books, and mysteries. Café patrons will enjoy loose-leaf teas, French-pressed coffee, desserts, sandwiches, and soups indoors or on the patio.