A Washington store preps for a holiday expansion; a Texas bookstore owner makes a comeback; Canadian stores get the okay to sell books and booze; and more.
Grand Opening for Fleur Fine Books: The Port Neches, Tex., bookstore, which sells new, used, and rare books, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday and will continue to celebrate all week. It’s a homecoming of sorts for store owner Dale LaFleur. He tried changing careers after his previous bookstore, Read ‘Em Again Books, was destroyed by a hurricane. But he missed bookselling.
D.C.’s Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café Expands: Kramerbooks COO Jamie Galler said that the bookstore/café is building out the space next door and expects to open with more books and a larger café the week after next.
Lansing’s Coyote Wisdom More Than Doubles Its Space: By moving into the house next door, the 13-year-old metaphysical bookstore was able to increase its space. Begun by Connie Ranshaw after she retired from a career in state government, the store features new and used books on astrology, meditation, and Native American religion, as well as essential oils, candles, crystals, and tarot decks.
Bookstores in British Columbia Can Apply for a Liquor License: As more and more U.S. bookstores discover the advantage of selling books and booze, including Barnes & Noble, their counterparts in Canada will soon have a similar opportunity. Beginning January 23, 2017, indie bookstores in British Columbia will be able to serve wine and spirits and hold after-hours events. The new law is intended to help craft breweries and wineries sell their product.
Cedar Rapids’s Next Page Books Still Going Strong: At the beginning of December, 2015, Bart Carithers took over four-and-a-half-year-old New Bo Books, which he renamed Next Page Books. One year later he has no regrets. Although the store is small, he said that sales have been good and that he’s had customers from every state and 40 countries.
Sherman Alexie Charters a Bus for Indies First (Nov. 26): To celebrate the fourth annual Indies First on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, writer Sherman Alexie is hiring a bus to ferry him and a dozen authors, city council members, reporters, and musicians to three Seattle bookstores: Third Place Books, University Book Store, an the Elliott Bay Book Company. Each person on the tour will recommend a book for store customers to give as a gift. Alexie’s choices are: Kwame Anthony Appiah’s Cosmopolitanism and Sonali Deraniyagala’s Wave.
Cider Monday (Nov. 28) Is Back: For the fourth year in a row, New England booksellers are planning an alternative to Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving) and inviting other independent retailers throughout the country to join them. The idea is to turn indie stores into a refuge from the frenzy of holiday shopping with conversation and a free cup of cider.
