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Minnesota’s Village Bookstore Purchased by Mall

Mike McGinnis is retiring as owner of Grand Rapids, Minnesota’s The Village Bookstore and is handing the reins to Central Square Mall, where the store is currently located, reported the Herald Review.

McGinnis took over the bookstore in 1980, and it became one of the mall’s first tenants in 1984, when it moved in. “The heyday was the mid-80s, when the mall was new,” said McGinnis, who had recently come to the decision to downsize the bookstore, move it to a building he owns in town, and concentrate on smaller gift lines. Central Square Mall Manager Jean Healey approached McGinnis during the transition, and the mall made an offer to buy the shop.

Recent changes at the bookstore, including repainting and reorganizing, clued customers in to the change in ownership, said Healy. The store is now called The Village Bookstore and Gifts. Among other changes, it will include an expanded children’s section.

Page & Palette’s Karin Wilson Running for Mayor

Karin Wilson, co-owner of Page & Palette bookstore in Fairhope, Alabama, is running for mayor of the city. Wilson is challenging incumbent Mayor Tim Kant, who is seeking a fifth term. The election will be held August 23.

“When you see things that are happening in your area that could jeopardize the quality of life that we have, you have to stand up. You can’t be quiet anymore. I thought about this long and hard and after a lot of soul-searching I felt it was time. The next four years are critical. The more I thought about it, the more convicted I became,” Wilson told Fox10TV.

The “Karin for Fairhope” campaign kickoff event took place on Friday, July 22, at The Book Cellar at Page & Palette, the bookstore’s event venue and bar. Stickers, signs, decals, and other campaign gear were provided, in addition to wine, beer, and hors d’oeuvres. Follow Wilson’s campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

L.A.’s The Last Bookstore Subject of New Documentary

Los Angeles’ The Last Bookstore is the feature of a new 12-minute short film, “Welcome to the Last Bookstore,” reported LAist. Directed by Chad Howitt, the film was shown at several festivals this year and is now available to the public on Vimeo.

The film dives into the history of the bookstore, which was opened by Josh Spencer in 2005, as well as the store’s name, chosen by Spencer because of the decline in the number of bookstores throughout the city at the time.

“The Last Bookstore struck me as such a paradox,” Howitt told LAist. “It was like seeing a magic trick. I just couldn’t understand how it was possible. So I wanted to find out more about it.”