Two California friends look to mix tea and books; an Arizona sporting goods store makes a literary pivot; three iconic Bay Area-bookstores land legacy status; and more.
Bookstore Opens South of Richmond: Former paralegal Mary Patterson opened the 1,500 sq. ft. Little Bookshop last week. The store, which is located in the Sycamore Square Shopping Center, has a large children’s section and carries books, gifts, and toys.
Bookstore/Tea Store Launches Kickstarter Campaign: Friends Ellen Arden-Ogle and Cid Gunston-Parks are looking to take their online tea business offline with a bricks-and-mortar bookstore, tea room, and tea shop in Sacramento, Calif. They’ve already begun looking at real estate for The Novel Tea, and are trying to raise $50,000 in the next 25 days to make the store a reality.
Year-old Turn of the Corkscrew Turns to Crowdfunding: The book and wine store in Rockville Centre on Long Island is hoping to raise money through a Go Fund Me campaign to make up for the loss of income due to road work that began in May and is still not completed. Owners Peggy Zieran and Carol Hoenig need $75,000 to cover business expenses and buy new inventory.
Bookman’s Sports Exchange Closing to Make Way for Tucson Bookstore: Three years ago, Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, now celebrating its 40th year, branched out and opened a used sporting goods store. That store will close at year’s end and make way for the Tucson BEE to move into the space. The closing is also part of a decision to refocus Bookman’s business on its core values.
B&N to Remodel UConn Bookstore: As part of its takeover of the University of Connecticut store, Barnes & Noble will renovate the bookstore to look and feel less like a mall store. The renovations, which will begin this spring, include creating a community space on the top level with study tables, chairs, and WiFi. The bookstore will also host a larger Starbucks and an Apple Store.
Dog Eared Books, Green Apple & Booksmith Receive Legacy Business Status: San Francisco’s Small Business Commission granted legacy business status to three bookstores over 30 years old that have contributed to the city’s legacy. This is a result of Prop J, a ballot measure aimed at incentivizing landlords to grant certain businesses long-term leases in a challenging commercial real estate market.
SF’s Modern Times Bookstore to Close Next Month: Yesterday evening after store hours the iconic bookstore posted a note on Facebook announcing that it will close November 15. “As those closest to us know, we have tried every possible avenue of support to sustain the store since its displacement from Valencia Street in 2011. Though we have persevered out of love and duty and a willingness to continue to fulfill our mission, . . . we can no longer serve our customer's needs as well as those of our workers,” wrote the collective.
Closing Time for Honolulu’s Revolution Books: Due to financial pressures the 40-year-old bookstore that specializes in politics, religion, feminism, and the environment will close on October 20. But it plans to continue to pop up around the island and expand their online presence.
