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Legacy to Morph Into A Real Bookstore

Legacy Books of Plano, Texas, which announced its closing last week, will be “morphing into A Real Bookstore,” according to the Dallas Morning News. The new location, in Fairview, Texas, will be 20,000 square feet on one level, versus Legacy’s 24,000 square feet on three levels.

Teri Tanner, the managing partner of Legacy Books, will be the sole owner of the new store, whose opening in scheduled for mid-November. Tanner told the newspaper that she chose the name “A Real Bookstore” because it “stands for a number of concepts: ‘reading, awareness, experience, education, literacy, and learning.’”

The Fairview store will reflect Tanner’s “vision for a post-recession bookstore,” the Morning News noted. It will have a larger children’s section, a dedicated space for teens, and, instead of a café offering soups and salads, the in-store restaurant’s menu will feature popcorn and hotdogs.

Twig Manager Talks Bookselling

In an interview with Anis Shivani at the Huffington Post, Twig Book Shop manager Claudia Maceo Sharp took a pragmatic look at the state of independent bookselling.

Sharp explained why The Twig recently moved into a new location at San Antonio's Pearl Brewery building. “The Twig had been in its location for many years; it had evolved several times by moving and branching out (no pun intended). After many conversations with Pearl representatives and bookstore consultants, John and Frannie finally chose to take that leap to share the vision at Pearl, a vision of partnerships and being a place where people from all over San Antonio can gather.”

New Utah Bookstore Draws Attention

Notable Utah children's authors, including Sara Zarr and Mette Ivie Harrison, turned out to show their support at a pre-launch party for Centerville, Utah's Fire Petal Books, the Deseret News reported.

Michelle Witte, a former editor at Gibbs Smith, has been cultivating support from authors and readers around the country since she held an online auction to raise funds for the business in early 2010. She plans to combine her publishing experience with bookselling, offering classes for teen writers through Fire Petal.

Next Chapter Customer Support

Independent booksellers always appreciate loyal customers who shop at and support local bookstores – but one bookseller at Next Chapter Bookshop in Mequon, Wisconsin, has a new reason to be grateful to one of the store's patrons.

In the store's latest newsletter, marketing manager Rebecca Rick shared the story of a customer who went beyond the call of duty. “When [an evening author event] was all through, Next Chapter's Children's and YA bookseller, Barb, learned that the route she needed to take home was closed indefinitely. Just as Barb was contemplating which of the sofas in the store would best serve as a bed for the night, a long-time customer named Beth approached her and offered Barb the use of her guest room.”

“I'm so grateful she was able to help me,” Barb said. “It really does show that we have a relationship beyond just the register with the people who come here. And it was kind of neat to see some of the books I recommended to her on the shelves!”

Camping Trip Turns Into Reading Session

When you go on vacation with a bookseller, reading is part of the package.

On a recent trip to Michigan's Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore with Becky Anderson, co-owner of Anderson's Bookshops, Anderson's daughter Hallie Wilkins, Jackie Piekos, and Megan Burton, all 15-year-olds from Naperville, Illinois, read about a dozen books, including some this fall's new YA titles.

Regulator Music Video Shows Why Reading is Perfect for Summer

Regulator Bookshop owner Tom Campbell has taken some liberties with the lyrics to "Under the Boardwalk."

"Readin' a Good Book," performed by the band Pegasus, celebrates the joys of some favorite books as an escape from the summer heat. Campbell said the store has also been receiving positive feedback on its blog feature "Five Things Jeff Bezos Doesn't Want You to Know About the Kindle."