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Indie Groundbreaking Booksellers
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by CeCe Richardson / January 2021 Editor's Note: We updated this article in January 2020 to share the good news about Bookshop's 2nd Anniversary report.The challenges of the pandemic have showed us how important, and sometimes how dif … READ MORE |
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by Kathleen Shoop / April 2019 When you enter Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont, Pennsylvania you're greeted by floor-to-ceiling books, bright furnishings, and a cheerful hello from new owners Tara Goldberg-DeLeo, Kristy Bodnar -- … READ MORE |
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by Anita Lock / March 2019 In the quaint college town of Oberlin, Ohio, nestled in the historic Carpenter Block at the intersection of Main and College Streets, is a one-of-a-kind store: Ben Franklin. One may assume that this i … READ MORE |
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by Jim Barnes / December 2019 Danny Caine is an indie bookseller with a capital 'I' and also an activist with a capital 'A'. Not surprising, I suppose, for a bookseller who's also a poet -- ala Lawrence Ferlinghetti and City Light … READ MORE |
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by Olivia Schmitz - October 2018 Before Old Firehouse Books was, well, Old Firehouse Books, it was a tiny used book store called the Book Rack. The business underwent a major evolution in 2009 when it settled in Fort Collins's first … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / May 2017 “The longer I am a 'Main Street' bricks and mortar independent bookseller, the more I am convinced that democracy in the United States depends on businesses like ours, and the customers who supp … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / April 2017 For our Groundbreaking Independent Bookseller profiles we are introduced to a store years, sometimes decades, after it has opened. Last year, we had the unique opportunity to profile The Ripped Bodice … READ MORE |
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by Anais Mohr / November 2017 When Camilla Orr of Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix, Arizona answered a call last March, she was stunned to discover she was a recipient of the 2017 International Book Fair Scholarship. Desig … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / July 2016 San Diego, California is known for many things. The Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, and even Comic Con these days gets a lot of attention. Another popular destination for visitors is Seap … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / June 2016 In 1969 a group of Washington University students opened a bookstore to bring literature of all kinds to St. Louis. The mission has always been “to spark public conversation by curating an intel … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / March 2016 Once there were two sisters who fell in love with love. Leah and Bea Koch are the first to tell you they have loved romance novels since they could first choose their own books. This love persevered; … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / February 2016 For book lovers, their loyalty to favorite bookstores can be like a good, long term relationship - comforting, familiar, but still able to surprise. This column celebrates independent bookstores all o … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / November 2016 North Carolina is well known for many things including the Research Triangle (or The Triangle), where a cluster of renowned universities are located. To stand out as a bookstore in this region of acad … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe There are a lot of great independent bookstores out there we all love to support. But what happens to books after they are bought and read? While many find their way into used bookstores or thrift sho … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / August 2015 The latest attraction getting attention in downtown Las Vegas isn't a new feature in the Fremont Street Experience or a hot new game at the Golden Nugget- it's a bookstore located a couple blocks away … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / July 2015 “I often think of our story—the Greenlight story—as a bookstore fairytale.”- Rebecca Fitting, co-ownerMost bookstores don't have their launch party a year before the store actu … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / June 2015 Candice Huber's grandparents were born across the street from one another on Toulouse Street in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans. As children, they were given the nicknames Tubby and Coo. The … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / May 2015 With summer comes new releases from perennial mystery favorites like John Lescroart, James Patterson, Mary Higgins Clark, and David Baldacci. We at Independent Publisher thought it was the perfect opp … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe / April 2015 Tucked away in the south side neighborhood of Hyde Park quietly sits one of Chicago's most enduring cultural icons – Seminary Co-op Bookstores. Located within two blocks of one another, these st … READ MORE |
by Amy Shamroe Hidden away in the heart of London is a new/used bookstore that is sure to warm the heart of any bibliophile. Black Books is a bijou gem that is hard to find these days- charming built-in shelves with … READ MORE |
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by Amy Shamroe When people think of cultural centers in the South, most would list New Orleans, Savannah, maybe Charleston. How about Spartanburg, South Carolina? For almost twenty years, Hub City Bookshop has been … READ MORE |
by Amy Shamroe / December 2015 The return of independent bookstores is often heralded with stories of quaint “old fashioned” shops, out-of-the-box store concepts, and community projects. While all of those types–a … READ MORE |
by Amy Shamroe / October 2015 As the Independent Publisher Book Awards contest celebrates 20 years, it is also a good time to look back at some of the most respected and established independent bookstores featured as our Indie Gro … READ MORE |
by Amy Shamroe In America, brilliant is often used to refer to something profound or intelligent. In England, brilliant is used much more as an excited utterance regarding something outstanding or exceptional. Brill … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz September is a time for new beginnings with the start of school. We at Independent Publisher want to shine the spotlight on independent bookstores who have been celebrating children and cultivating th … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz The Last Bookstore is one that readers have to see to believe. With its color-coded shelves, book portholes, book tunnels, and sculptures, there is no question that the books are put on center stage a … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz It was during Gayle Shanks, Tom Brodersen, and Bob Sommer's time as volunteers at an alternative school for kids that the idea for a socially responsible bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, was born.Changing … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz If you are a bookstore owner thinking about opening another location, look to Books & Books for inspiration. Not only do they have three locations in South Florida, but they also have three others … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz Green Apple Books, this year's Publisher Weekly's Bookstore of the Year, has had a long history of selling books to the residents of San Francisco that dates back to 1967. An MBA group that came to st … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz As I get closer to the front doors of Politics & Prose, I notice that the folks walking toward the door with me all pick up their pace and talk excitedly to whoever they are with as they get in si … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz Peter Aaron, owner of The Elliott Bay Book Company, had a long and winding journey road to where he is today. “I arbitrarily picked a date and quit my job. I just walked away without having any … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz While you are waiting for a coffee at the cafe at Prairie Lights, it's not uncommon to see students from the University of Iowa's Writers' Workshop furiously typing away at their computer keys as they … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz Kenneth Gloss, owner of Brattle Book Shop, describes his job perfectly; finding rare books across the U.S. makes him feel like he is Jim Hawkins on Treasure Island. The store is known for its large an … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz The beach town of Petoskey, MI, isn't short of books thanks to McLean & Eakin. Current owners, Matt and Jessilynn Norcross met at the store in 2003 when they both started working there full time. … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz As the holiday season comes to a close, we should be reminded of how we still have a lot to celebrate all throughout the year. Just one glance at our featured bookstores in 2013 provides enough proof … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz Bestselling author Ann Patchett and publishing professional Karen Hayes started a bookstore two years ago in Nashville, Tennessee, that lives up to its name: Parnassus Books. The name comes from Mount … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz The Learned Owl Book Shop has a long-standing history in Hudson, Ohio, and is thought to be not only a bookstore, but a landmark of the city. The Learned Owl's history dates back to 1968 when hus … READ MORE |
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By Nicolette Amstutz With a name like The Poisoned Pen, you may feel like you should be walking into the setting of a murder mystery instead of a favorite independent bookstore. Since 1989, Barbara Peters, the owner and f … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz “You keep your net in the water,” Emily Powell, owner and president of Powell's Books, repeats her father's favorite saying that they both apply to their approach to business. “You a … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz If you were in downtown Hilo, Hawaii during the first week of April, you could have participated in an international Hula competition known as the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival with Basically Book … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz Fountain Bookstore and the city of Richmond, Virginia, have been in a long-term relationship that dates back to 1978. The same could be said of owner Kelly Justice's relationship with the booksel … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz The historic downtown square in Decatur, Georgia is home to Little Shop of Stories, an independent children's bookstore that welcomes children and adults of all ages. Diane Capriola and David Shallenb … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz Driving past Lamar Boulevard in Austin, Texas, passersby catch sight of the expansive brick bookstore and coffeehouse, BookPeople, that has been a staple in the community since 1970. Steve Bercu, the … READ MORE |
By Nicolette Amstutz Inside a quaint green brick building on the corner of Washington and 4th Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan, lives Literati Bookstore. While the store has only been open since this past Easter, it is hard … READ MORE |
By Nicolette Amstutz Reading Rock Books isn't your average independent bookstore—it's a bookstore that, thanks to owners Laura Hill and Amy Jernigan, was vying with small businesses across the country for a free 30- … READ MORE |
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by Nicolette Amstutz Since 1875, the Anderson family has provided books to the community of Naperville, IL. The Anderson family's venture into bookselling began when Becky Anderson's great-great grandfather opened W.W. Wi … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz Since 1953, City Lights of San Francisco, CA provides a platform for all types of artists and writers to let their voices be heard with their collection of international titles. When City Lights opene … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz When someone says “women and children first,” you might first think of the RMS Titanic's protocol where women and children were the first to get into the limited number of lifeboats. In An … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz Looking at the storefront of Northshire Bookstore, you might think this cozy blue building is home to a large family with an extreme love for books. You wouldn't be too far off; Northshire Bookstore h … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz Among the mountainous expanse of Telluride, Colorado lies a well-loved bookstore, Between the Covers (BTC). With shelves packed with books and the smell of coffee from the High Alpine Coffee Bar situa … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz “It was either a bookstore or a bed and breakfast in Portugal,” said John Evans, one of the owners of DIESEL. Luckily for their customers and co-workers, John Evans and Alison Reid decided … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz On Saturday, August 27th of 2005, Octavia Books was having what would be their last book signing before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. The owners of Octavia Books, husband and wife duo Tom Lowenbu … READ MORE |
by Nicolette Amstutz Opening a bookstore in 2011 may have been a bit ambitious, but the community behind Boneshaker Books believed the feat was necessary, especially after the close of Minneapolis's former radical booksel … READ MORE |
by Jim Barnes When the Borders bookstore chain closed this fall, an alarm went out about The Collapse of the American Bookstore. Now, seemingly against all odds, the opposite is happening as a new surge of independ … READ MORE |
by Jillian Bergsma Nestled in downtown Madison, Connecticut, RJ Julia Booksellers is a haven for book lovers. Since the store opened in April of 1990, it has been the recipient of tons of notice and awards, including Pu … READ MORE |