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Printer-friendly versionRoundabout Books to Debut October 31
Roundabout Books, a new bookstore and café in Bend, Oregon, will hold a Halloween Open House on October 31, the Bend Source Weekly reported. A ribbon cutting will take place November 8.
Owned by Bend resident and former schoolteacher Cassie Clemans, the general-interest bookstore is located inside NorthWest Crossing, a mixed-use community that features dining, shopping, and entertainment options.
The store will carry a curated selection of books for all ages, as well as coffee, wine, beer, and light fare in its café. Events will include a children’s story time, book clubs, author readings, and more.
“I’ve wanted to become more involved in the community for some time and I see so much potential in NorthWest Crossing as there are no bookstores on this side of town. With Roundabout Books I hope to create a place that is comfortable and welcoming where people can gather, while fulfilling my dream of owning a bookstore,” said Clemans.
Wild Geese Bookshop to Open November 4
Tiffany Phillips will open her new bookstore, Wild Geese Bookshop, in Franklin, Indiana, on November 4, reported the Franklin. The store’s name comes from the poem “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver.
Phillips, who works in law as a manager for a company’s litigation portfolio, and her husband, George Phillips, an associate English professor at Franklin College, moved to the city last year with their two children.
“I think a lot of choices that I’ve made for the shop are driven by moving to a new place, feeling a bit lonely, trying to find my tribe,” Tiffany Phillips said. “Everyone’s been warm and welcoming, but I think a lot of my choices are splintered around connections, and I think that’s what makes it special.”
The store’s inventory will highlight books focused on storytelling, such as memoirs and fiction, as well as books on writing, art, photography, crafting, and cooking. A “Franklin, Indiana, Reads” section will feature recommendations from the community. Events will include storytelling nights, readings, book signings, and, coming up, a Gilmore Girls event on November 19.
Midtown Reader Prepares for November 12 Grand Opening
Tallahassee, Florida’s Midtown Reader will hold a grand opening celebration on November 12 that will feature children’s events with Curious George and Martha the talking dog from Martha Speaks, as well as an author signing and mingle hosted by author David Kirby.
Owner Sally Bradshaw recently introduced herself to the store’s Facebook fans in what she called a “portrait of a bookseller,” sharing details about her work for Gov. Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign, her love for Nancy Drew, her favorite book genres, and what’s on her nightstand now.
The 1,500-square-foot bookstore features a “Kidtown Readers” children’s section and a special focus on books about Florida and books by Florida authors. The store is managed by Janine Couch and Jeff Hipsher.
Book Passage to Add Third Location
Northern California’s Book Passage, which has locations in Corte Madera and San Francisco, will open a new store in Sausalito early next year, with a soft opening to come later this fall.
The 1,800-square-foot store, to be located near the terminal with ferries to San Francisco, will carry “our usual collection of books, including fiction, travel, food, and children’s books,” Elaine Petrocelli, who owns the store with her husband, Bill, told Shelf Awareness. It will also carry books on boating and sailing because of its proximity to the Sausalito Yacht Harbor.
Between the two stores, Book Passage hosts more than 700 author events per year for a wide range of ages and interests. Its education program includes in-store classes about writing and the book business, as well as three annual writing conferences. Elaine Petrocelli, who was named Bookseller of the Year in 1997 by Publishers Weekly, founded the store in 1976.
The Booksmith to Open The Bindery
San Francisco’s The Booksmith will be opening The Bindery, a quirky gift and book shop on November 1 in a 2,400-square-foot space previously occupied by the Second Act’s culinary marketplace, reported Hoodline.
The new store will operate as a pop-up shop through the holidays, but long-term plans are also in the works.
“The post-holiday build-out is going to be our chance to really make the space our own,” said Christin Evans, who co-owns The Booksmith with Praveen Madan. “Think small cafe, Alembic beer and wine, plenty of books — a nice space to linger and spend time.”
The space will also be home to events. The Booksmith, which hosts 200 events a year, is known for its creative event programming, such as Shipwreck, a fanfiction event in which participants rewrite literary characters into erotic scenes.
New Owners for Point Reyes Books
Molly Parent and Stephen Sparks will become the new owners of Point Reyes Books in Point Reyes Station, California, effective January 1, announced current owners Kate Levinson and Steve Costa. Customers had the chance to meet Parent and Sparks at a benefit farewell event with author Terry Tempest Williams on October 22.
“Stephen and Molly were our top choice based on their deep experience in the bookselling and literacy worlds and because they are beloved in the Bay Area book community,” Levinson and Costa wrote in an e-mail to customers. “They’re both in their 30s, and they represent the next generation of creative, energetic entrepreneurial booksellers. We’re really pleased to have such capable and likeable stewards for Point Reyes Books.”
Sparks grew up in New Jersey and managed a bookstore on the Jersey Shore for several years, then went on to serve as a book buyer at Green Apple Books, where he met Parent, a fellow employee. Parent left Green Apple in 2012 to work at 826 Valencia, a nonprofit writing and tutoring center co-founded by author Dave Eggers. She will continue as communications manager for 826 Valencia in addition to taking over communications for Point Reyes Books.
Sparks and Parent are getting married next month and will relocate from San Francisco to Marin next year. They are funding the purchase of the store through a variety of investors and have created an Indiegogo campaign to raise additional start-up funds.
Laurel Book Store Seeks Co-Owner
Luan Stauss, owner of Laurel Book Store in Oakland, California, which just celebrated its 15th anniversary, is seeking a co-owner for the bookstore, she announced in the latest State of the Store Address.
Stauss shared the many highlights of owning the store — creating the Downtown Business Mondays and Government Tuesdays to connect with 100,000-plus area workers, working with schools and libraries on book fairs and fundraisers, the store’s creative and knowledgeable staff — but also acknowledged some of the difficulties of owning a bookstore in Oakland, such as the high occupancy costs, the rising minimum wage, and simply getting attention.
“We’re on an upward trajectory, albeit a slow one. We are showing an increase over last year, overall, based on the number of transactions per day and the dollars per transaction,” said Stauss, who noted there are still ways the store could improve.
“The potential for growth is great. And I am looking for a business partner to help take Laurel Book Store into the future — someone with ideas and the energy to make ideas reality,” she said. “I’ve been the sole owner of this wonderful store for 15 years and I am ready to have someone join me to make it even more amazing — to take it to the next level.”
Trail’s End Bookstore Relocates
Trail’s End Bookstore, a general interest bookstore in Winthrop, Washington, recently moved to a new location that doubles the size of the store.
Co-owner Christine Janikowski closed the store from September 26–30 to make the move. Volunteers helped pack and unpack boxes. When the store officially reopened on October 1, staff posted on Facebook, “We cannot express the enormous gratitude we are feeling towards all the people who came out and helped make it happen. Once again the Methow [Valley] proves to be the place to be! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
The new location, the former home of the White Buck Trading Company, allows for additional inventory and seating for customers. Illustrator Erik Brooks created a special mural in the children’s section using characters from his own books and weekly comic.
Reading Frenzy Owner Runs for Portland City Council
Chloe Eudaly, owner of Portland, Oregon’s Reading Frenzy bookstore, is campaigning to earn herself a seat on Portland’s City Council, reported Oregon Public Broadcasting. She is running against incumbent commissioner Steve Novick.
Eudaly has owned Reading Frenzy for more than 20 years. She said her priority will be protecting renters amidst a real estate market that is forcing people out. “As a small business owner and a community activist for the last 25 years and a renter, I will bring needed experience and perspective to the council,” she said.
Volunteers have been helping Eudaly make buttons, stuff envelopes, and raise campaign funding. As a first-time candidate, Eudaly has raised $80,000, compared to Novick’s $400,000. Though she has not held office before, Eudaly is a community organizer who chaired the Regional Arts & Culture Council and started a PTA for parents of children with disabilities.
Greenlight to Host First Event in New Neighborhood
While Greenlight Bookstore’s new location in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, is still under construction, the store will hold its first event at the nearby BKLYN Commons on November 21. The store is slated to open in late November.
“We hope this event will be a chance for us to introduce ourselves to our new neighbors with a festive book party, just a few weeks from the bookstore’s opening,” said Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, who co-owns Greenlight Bookstore with Rebecca Fitting.
The book launch will be for Island People: The Caribbean and the World, a cultural study of the Caribbean Islands by new author Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, who will be interviewed by Garnette Cadogan; a book signing and wine reception will follow. The neighborhood of Prospect Lefferts Gardens has deep roots in Caribbean culture.
“Partnering with neighborhood institutions has always been a high priority for us, and we’re happy to have the chance to continue that in Prospect Lefferts Gardens by partnering with BKLYN Commons on this event,” said Stockton Bagnulo. “We’re excited about this chance to introduce the bookstore to the community, and to help introduce Josh and his book to the world.”