Here's to You Mr. & Mrs. Robinson

Dee and Chuck Robinson

Village Books in Bellingham, Washington, always celebrates its anniversary with a party, but since this year marks the store's 25th, owners Chuck and Dee Robinson threw an especially big bash that included neighboring businesses, a local blues/rock band, The Atlantics (also celebrating its quarter-century birthday), and hundreds of their closest friends and supporters. Party goers enjoyed a weekend-long sale, cake, champagne and hors d'oeuvres, and a concert on the village green just behind the bookstore, which opened on June 20, 1980.

"We had about 500 people at the open house. It was a very social and fun occasion," said Chuck Robinson, who dressed for the occasion. "I wore a tux. In Bellingham, you have to make your own reasons to wear one since there aren't a lot of occasions that call for it," he said.

Entertainment by local blues/rock band, The Atlantics

Bellingham residents found different ways to mark the silver anniversary of their local independent bookstore. Colophon Cafe, which was commemorating its own 20th anniversary, supplied the hors d'oeuvres. Customers and local authors paid tribute in Village Books' newsletter, The Chuckanut Reader, named for the Chuckanut foothills south of town. Alan Gallay, author of The Indian Slave Trade: The Rise of the English Empire in the American South, 1670-1717 (Yale), wrote, "To read a good book is to engage the human mind in its infinite possibilities -- finding good books is the rub. Scouring the shelves of Village Books for its treasures is one of life's little pleasures -- the anticipation, knowing that success is inevitable -- knowing that a memory is soon to be made."

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Bill Dietrich, said, "When I began writing books, I had no idea of the symbiotic relationship between authors and independent bookstores such as Village Books. Writing is solitary, and publishing can sometimes seem remote and faceless, so it's at the independent bookstore that the circle between author and reader is closed, through the matchmaking skills of the retailer. Chuck and Dee always provided a warm welcome, encouragement, and a forum to talk about my books, meet readers, and reconnect with the Bellingham where I attended college and had my first newspaper job."

Chuck and Dee Robinson launched Village Books in a 1,500-square-foot space after spending a year traveling across the country. As a result of several expansions, the most recent last year, the store is now 10,000 square feet -- which doesn't include the Robinsons' card, stationery, and gift store, Paper Dreams.

Village Books is a general bookstore with an emphasis on what Robinson calls "good, well-written fiction of all sorts." It also features a good-sized current events section and strong children's and regional sections, along with solid nature and outdoor categories. "We're a real outdoorsy area," explained Robinson.

From the beginning of the Book Sense program in 1999, Village Books has been on board. The store immediately began featuring the Book Sense Bestseller List rather than the New York Times list. "The Book Sense lists are much more in accordance with our clientele," Robinson said. Village Books also joined the Book Sense gift card program when it became available. "In our first year after switching to gift cards from certificates, we saw a huge increase," he noted. "This past year we saw another increase in sales. And I've noticed that it's become much more common for people to buy them all year round. We sold a lot at graduation season this year."

Both Robinsons like to say they opened the bookstore when they were 12, which works out well because Chuck Robinson doesn't see retirement happening any time soon, though "Dee may think differently," he admitted. "We're both 57, and I figure we've got a number of good years left doing this. It's something we both enjoy. I just want to hang out and sell books." --Karen Schechner