Village Books Named Outstanding Philanthropic Small Business

At a luncheon in Seattle on Thursday, November 20, National Philanthropy Day, the Association of Fundraising Professionals is honoring Bellingham's Village Books [4] as the 2008 Outstanding Philanthropic Small Business in Washington.

The organization said, "Village Books is a community leader through philanthropy, education, and activism. Owned by Chuck and Dee Robinson, the Bellingham bookstore is part of the fabric of the community, connecting individuals and causes through the store's newsletter, book signings, and fundraising events in support of community good works."

The bookstore's most recent fundraising effort -- the Chuckanut Radio Hour with Garrison Keillor -- raised more than $10,000 for the Pickford Film Center.

Brookline Booksmith Chosen Best of Boston

For the eighth time, Brookline Booksmith has won the designation "Best of Boston" from Boston Magazine [5], which said: "At heart, a bookstore's job is simple: Carry the latest and greatest. The Booksmith does this handily, while rising above Blahs & Noble to stand as a true bibliophile meeting ground. Its monthly book club and near-daily readings by a formidable mix of authors (this past year saw lad-lit hero Nick Hornby, Pulitzer-winning novelist Jhumpa Lahiri, and blowhard par excellence Chris Matthews) provide a safe haven for book lovers in a world clogged with TV watchers."

Children's Booksellers Open Store for Adults

This month, Holly Baracchini and Heidi Allwood, the mother-and-daughter owners of Little Bookworms Children's Bookstore & Boutique in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, opened a new bookstore aimed at adults, Lakewood Ranch Booksellers [6]. The new store, which is located a few doors down from the children's bookstore, carries more than 3,000 titles, plus newspapers, magazines, and gifts.

Among the most popular items so far, Allwood told the Lakewood Ranch Herald [7], are "bestsellers; cookbooks, such as the latest tome from domestic doyenne Martha Stewart; and stocking stuffers, such as bound journals or calendars. The store also features chic reading glasses at affordable prices, a large section of bargain books marked down 40 - 70 percent, and free gift wrapping."

Oregon Parents Name Baby After Powell's Books

Audrey and Kevin DeKam of Albany, Oregon, have named their son, born on Friday, October 3, 2008, Powell Finley DeKam, in honor of "their favorite bookstore on the planet," and the folks at Powell's Books [8] couldn't be prouder.

Audrey DeKam told the staff at Powell's that she and her husband couldn't reach an agreement on a name, when she stumbled upon "Powell" in a baby name book and learned that it means "alert." She instantly liked the name because it reminded her of Powell's Books.

"It's the first time in our long history that a baby has been named in our honor," said store owner Michael Powell. "And it's a wonderful reason to celebrate."

Happy Anniversary ...

We had so many recent bookstore anniversaries to report this week that we decided to note them in a special column. Check them out [9].