Washington, D.C., is on its way to becoming an even stronger bookstore town. It got its first new bookstore in a decade this week, Upshur Street Books. And Politics & Prose announced that in December it will add the first of five satellite locations in Busboys and Poets restaurants.
Several stores are marking big anniversaries: Anderson’s Bookshops is celebrating 50 years at its Naperville, Ill. location; Lake Forest Bookstore in Lake Forest, Ill., is marking its 65th; and Talk Story Books in Hawai’i turns ten.
Events
50th Anniversary of Anderson’s Bookshops: The PW Bookstore of the Year may be 140 years old, but this weekend it is celebrating its first half century at its current location in Naperville, Ill., with discounts and goodies.
Pop-up Bookstore in Kew Gardens: Deborah Emin, founder of e-publisher Sullivan Street Press, in the Kew Gardens section of Queens, is the force behind the neighborhood’s first pop-up bookstore for an event on November 13.
Openings & Closings
Upshur Street Books Open: The much-anticipated bookstore, the first new bookstore in Washington, D.C., in a decade, opened last weekend in the Petworth neighborhood after a successful Kickstarter campaign for over $20,000.
Politics & Prose to Open in Busboys and Poets: The iconic D.C. bookstore is joining forces with local restaurateur Andy Shallal to open satellite locations in five Busboys and Poets locations beginning next month.
Rabbit & Butterfly to Open in Lancaster, Pa.: Seven partners inspired by the literary group The Inklings, whose members included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, are opening a coffee shop and bookstore next month.
Parable Group Closes e-Bookstore: The chain of bricks-and-mortar Christian store, which began selling digital books two years ago on parable.com, has exited the e-book business.
Closings & Reprieves at B&N
The country’s largest bricks-and-mortar bookstore chain has a number of leases in play at year’s end. It is closing its Twin Cities store, but will keep its Harrisonburg, Va., store open after all. Customers in Queens have begun a petition to save their store.
Books ‘N More Closes its Storefront: The Wilmington, Ohio, bookstore is closing after 18 years, but owners Dan and Marla Stewart plan to continue to sell books to schools and at author events.
Other News
B&N Adds Toys & Games Science Center: Select stores nationwide and BN.com are adding educational toys and games for grades K-8.
New Owner for Browsers’ Book Shop: A popular used bookstore in downtown Olympia, Wash., changed hands for the fourth time in its 79-year history.
Lake Forest Bookstore Turns 65: Founded in 1949, the Lake Forest, Ill., bookstore is marking its “sky blue anniversary.”
Top 20 Bay Area Indies: From Aardvark to Valhalla Books, an eclectic list of the best bookstores in San Francisco.
Talk Story Turns 10: The bookstore in Hanapepe has gone through a number of changes, including serving Indian food and adding a coffee shop. It not only reached its tenth birthday, but was recently named the 37th fastest growing business in Hawai’i.
Grolier Poetry Bookshop Nominated for the Indie Award: Fans of the country’s oldest poetry bookstore, located in Cambridge, Mass., are encouraged to vote early and often for it to be named the Independent Small Business of the Year.
