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Savoy Bookshop & Café Grand Opening Draws Crowds

ABA CEO Oren Teicher stands with Savoy Bookshop co-owner Annie Philbrick as she cuts the ribbon during the store's grand opening celebration.

Savoy Bookshop & Café in Westerly, Rhode Island, celebrated its grand opening on Saturday, April 16. Among the attendees were Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and American Booksellers Association CEO Oren Teicher, Senior Program Officer Joy Dallanegra-Sanger, and Senior Strategy Officer Dan Cullen.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, visitors enjoyed celebratory cake and cookies, as well as drinks and treats from Trattoria Longo, Grey Sail Brewing, Cottrell Brewing, Chloe Wine Collection, and Zest Bakery.

Savoy Bookshop & Café, which was opened with the help of local developers Chuck Royce and Dan King, is the sister store to Mystic, Connecticut’s Bank Square Books, both owned by Annie Philbrick and Patience Banister.

Viewpoint Books to Change Hands

Terry and Susan Whittaker, owners of downtown Columbus, Indiana’s Viewpoint Books, are selling the bookstore to another area couple, reported the Republic.

The Whittakers, who took over the 2,500-square-foot store from Susan Whittaker’s parents in 1979, will introduce the new owners to the community on April 30, Independent Bookstore Day. The official change in ownership is planned for July 1, and both the Whittakers will remain available to ease the transition.

“We could not be more pleased with this well-known couple with deep roots in the community who are committed to carrying on and improving the legacy of Viewpoint Books,” the Whittakers shared in a recent store newsletter.

Once Upon a Time Honored

In celebration of California Small Business Day, Senator Carol Liu has selected Once Upon a Time bookstore, in Montrose, California, as the Small Business of the Year. Each year, members of the Assembly and Senate choose local business leaders for recognition.

The bookstore will be honored at the California Small Business Association’s annual ceremony at the Sacramento Convention Center on May 25.

Founded in 1966, Once Upon a Time has been run by the Palacios family since 2003. In 2015, it won the Women’s National Book Association’s Pannell Award for best children’s bookstore.

“I am pleased to honor Maureen Palacios and the Palacios family for their hard work in preserving this treasured asset and promoting literacy throughout the community,” said Liu.

Renovated Merritt Bookstore Debuts

Kira Wizner purchased Merritt Bookstore, in Millbrook, New York, last fall and reopened the store on Saturday, April 16, following a renovation, reported the Poughkeepsie Journal.

“We really opened up the place and changed the lighting,” Wizner said. “We also built in some bookshelves in addition to the ones that were already here.”

The store now features an expanded inventory of books and toys, plus higher ceilings and 400 square feet of new space, resulting from the removal of an office area.

Plans Progress for Alaska’s Writer’s Block

As Vered Mares waits for construction to begin on Writer’s Block Bookstore and Café in Anchorage, Alaska, she is marking the location’s transition from an adults-only shop to a literary haven with an interactive arts installation, “Transforming ADULTS ONLY,” reported the Northern Light.

Mares purchased the former porn shop in October with plans to demolish the building and construct a new storefront. In the meantime, the community can say goodbye to the past and welcome in the present at events that will feature music, entertainment, games, food trucks, and a beer garden, in addition to the art show. “What was once a fairly undesirable business in a neighborhood is being turned into something that can really be part of the neighborhood,” Mares said.

Along with a literary selection that will show a special preference for Alaskan authors, the new store will feature a kitchen and café selling coffee, beer, wine, international dishes, and comfort food, particularly items that showcase Mares’ Israeli and New Mexican background. A dedicated space for art will provide an opportunity for local artists to share their work and network with one another.

“We are trying to keep as much of our business as local as humanly possible, from where the food comes from to where the books come from to who we hire and how we engage in the community,” said Mares. “Anchorage has an incredible creative community that I think is still untapped and is underrepresented.”

Mares is currently raising money for construction of the store through a GoFundMe campaign.

Kirkus Showcases Maria’s Bookshop

Earlier this month, Kirkus Reviews featured Durango, Colorado’s Maria’s Bookshop as part of its regular Shelf Space column.

In the interview, owners Andrea Avantaggio and Peter Schertz, who bought the store in 1998, described the bookstore as “a long-standing community resource,” explaining, “We offer everything you could possibly need in a bookstore — rolling ladders, an upside down canoe hanging from the ceiling, treats for your dog, and books!”

Among other items, including their ideal busman’s holiday, Avantaggio and Schertz also shared the origin of Maria’s Bookshop’s name, as there has never been a Maria at the helm of the store. Opened by Dusty Teal in 1984, the store’s name comes from Teal’s love for the work of potter Maria Martinez of San Ildefonso, New Mexico.

Read the full interview on Kirkus Reviews.