Around Indies

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The Book Haus to Open in Texas

New Braunfels, Texas, will be home to a new independent bookstore when owner Sabrina Caldwell opens The Book Haus there in April, reported the Herald-Zeitung.

The Book Haus will offer used books for all ages, across all genres, as well as events and programming for the community. The 800-square-foot store will feature Wi-Fi, comfortable seating, a children’s nook, a large aquarium, and a coffee corner.

“I have learned how important it is to have books just in the baby’s hands,” said Caldwell, who is attending school to become a teacher and is the mother of a 13-year-old. “Our community needs this. It’s important for them to be able to go and pick up a book and read that.”

Adventure Bound Books Coming to North Carolina

Angela Shores and her husband, Jonathon, are planning to open Adventure Bound Books in Morganton, North Carolina, this summer, reported the Morganton News-Herald. The store will carry new books and host author readings and signings, homeschool events, story times, and after-school and weekend youth programs.

On Friday, March 16, Shores is hosting a meet-and-greet at the store, which is currently undergoing renovations, where she will share her plans for the shop and gather input from the public about what they want in a bookstore.

“We wanted to give folks an opportunity to come in and meet us in person,” Shores said. “We have been on social media, but we want to give people a chance to meet us in person and us a chance to meet the community and hear ideas. We have tons of ideas, but we want to hear what other people would like to see in their hometown bookstore.”

Shakespeare & Co. to Open Three New Stores

Dane Neller, CEO of New York City’s Shakespeare & Co. bookstore, is planning to open three new stores this year, he told Publishers Weekly. All stores will be about 3,000 square feet and feature a café, Wi-Fi, and an Espresso Book Machine (Neller is also CEO of On Demand Books, the maker of the machine).

The first store will open this summer in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square area; two additional stores will open in Manhattan later this year, one on the Upper West Side and one in Greenwich Village. In addition, a Shakespeare grab-and-go café will open near the store’s current location on the Upper East Side.

Neller said he hopes to open more stores in college communities, in areas like Boston, Chicago, and beyond. “In five years we’d like to be a large national presence,” said Neller. “Our goal is to become an important national [retailer].”

New Owners for Off the Beaten Path

Judy and Katie Gustafson, the owners of Off the Beaten Path bookstore in Lakewood, New York, have sold the store to Bob Lingle, reported the Post-Journal. “This is the ideal bookstore, and it’s exactly what I’ve always wanted,” Lingle said.

Lingle took the reins on March 1 and plans to host a meet-the-owners event on Saturday, March 17, so he and his family, including wife Shannon and kids Harper and Harrison, can meet members of the community. Customers will be treated to discounts and gift card raffles as part of the event.

Next month, Lingle plans to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, and he also intends to bring back a monthly story time and launch a monthly newsletter.

Serena Longo Named Harvard Book Store Marketing & Events Manager

Serena Longo has been promoted to marketing and events manager at Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, Massachusetts, succeeding Alex Meriwether, who recently became the store’s general manager.

Longo, who joined Harvard Book Store in 2011 and has served as bookseller, floor supervisor, marketing coordinator, and event supervisor, will lead the bookstore’s marketing and events department, coordinating more than 500 events annually, and will program the store’s award-winning events series.

In 2016, Longo’s dedication to bookselling was recognized when she was selected as a recipient of a James Patterson grant, part of the author’s Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program.


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