Main Street/Shop Local

Claire Anderson-Ramos of The Book Cellar in Chicago, Illinois, has created a colorful, inspiring logo for Independent Bookstore Day.

Brookline Booksmith customer wins A.J. Fikry sweepstakes; NPR’s Morning Edition announces first book club pick; BookCon grows partnership with We Need Diverse Books; Kobo launches “buy more, save more” program; Consumers look to shop local this holiday season; Scholastic report details kids’ reading habits; Chronicle Books to distribute Quadrille Publishing

For the second year in a row, Indies First on Small Business Saturday was a strong day for independent bookstores, which saw unit sales of books rise 4.6 percent over 2013 for the week.

The second annual Indies First on Small Business Saturday marked the kickoff of the holiday shopping season for Main Street businesses, and with more than 420 bookstores hosting 1,200-plus author volunteers on Saturday, November 29, independent booksellers across the nation were celebrating in full swing. 

Just days ahead of the November 29 celebration of Small Business Saturday, more than 1,200 authors have signed on to support their local bookstores for Indies First, and more than 250 authors are partnering with bookstores under the Upstream initiative.

ABA CEO Oren Teicher makes one last appeal to booksellers to get involved in and make the most of Indies First and Small Business Saturday.

ABA bookstore members received an important e-mail update about Indies First on Small Business Saturday from ABA Vice President/Secretary Betsy Burton on Tuesday, November 11.

Booksellers are snatching up big names and popular local writers to add to their event rosters for Indies First, Small Business Saturday, and/or Upstream. And the list of authors and illustrators who are hoping to team with an independent bookstore continues to grow.

An AIB infographic presenting key facts about shopping locally this holiday season is a powerful resource for talking to both the media and store customers.
 

A variety of free American Express/Shop Small marketing materials are available online, and there is still time to order a free Shop Small Merchant Rally Kit.

On Neighborhood Toy Store Day, this Saturday, November 8, American Specialty Toy Retailing Association members — including California’s BookSmart and Virginia’s Givens Books & Little Dickens — will be celebrating the joy of play and the importance of shopping locally.

From his unique perspective as both a bookseller and an author, Book Passage co-owner Bill Petrocelli has identified several ways that booksellers can take action to promote the Upstream program and to feature their ongoing relationships with authors.

American Express/Shop Small is accepting requests from retailers for free Shop Small merchant rally kits through Friday, November 14, or while supplies last. The kit includes a welcome mat, 15 reusable tote bags, stickers, and more.

Katie Washington, director of Shop Small and Small Business Saturday at American Express OPEN, talks about the origins of the program, new resources available to participating businesses, and what makes the event so popular.

Here are tips to help booksellers spread the word via social media about their upcoming Indies First plans and Upstream partnerships.