Stores in Pennsylvania and Washington experience growth spurts; new owners prep for the reopening of a long-time Canadian bookstore; and more.
Expansion and Relocation for Let’s Play Books!: The three-year-old children’s specialty bookstore in Emmaus, Pa., is moving two blocks away. The new three-level store, which is than triple its current space, will give Let’s Play Books! significantly more room for books and events, as well as for store operations, including a receiving area, break room, and private administrative office. The new store will have a grand opening September 22-25.
Trail’s End Bookstore to Move in October: The Winthrop, Wash., bookstore is moving a few steps down the boardwalk and doubling its size, according to co-owner Christine Janikowski. She and her husband, Patrick, who purchased the store in 2013, want to expand the inventory and have more space for book browsers to hang out. The new location has an outside deck overlooking the Chewuch River.
New Owners for Ottawa Bookstore: Gabriella Crivilare, a recent graduate of Knox College; her parents, Mary and Gregg Olson, co-owners of Rock Paper Scissors; and her younger brother, Ethan Olson, are opening a new bookstore next month on the same site as the Book Mouse, which just closed last week after 23 years. The family hasn’t decided yet if they will rename the store.
Fundraiser for Eagle Eye’s Phillip Butler: Phillip Butler, a long-time bookseller at the Decatur bookstore, is hospitalized due to a stroke. In addition to a GoFundMe campaign started by his partner, Harley Gould, Eagle Eye is donating 100% of its sidewalk book sales to help Butler and is collecting gifts and get-well cards to deliver to Butler.
Landlord Woes Force Milwaukee’s People’s Books to Close: The 42-year-old bookstore, which has operated since 2007 as a cooperatively owned radical bookstore, is closing at the end of this month. The store, which moved in 2012, had been unable to make up for declining revenue from textbook sales in recent years. The closure comes following 10 months of unsuccessful negotiations with the landlord to extend the store’s lease and allow it to add a café to raise more money.
