Booksellers move to amend California autograph law; a new bookstore for Missouri; Harvard Bookstore commemorates Obamas' farewell; and more.
Efforts Move Forward to Amend California Law AB 1570: The NCIBA reports that a California Assembly member has agreed to submit the NCIBA'a language to the legislature's legal counsel in preparation to introduce a bill to amend the law, which requires certificates of authenticity and ownership for the sale of autographed items valued at over $5. Booksellers have argued that the law would make it impossible to hold author signings and other events. A Change.org petition calling for a repeal of the law, created by antiquarian bookseller Brad Johnson at The Book Shop in Covina, CA, has already garnered more than 1,500 signatures.
New Bookstore, Neighborhood Reads, to Open in Washington, Mo.: Dawn Kitchell, educational services director for The Missourian newspaper, is opening the a new independent bookstore this summer in the town of 15,000, an hour west of St. Louis. Initially, the store will initially carry 3,000 titles and plans are afoot to make space for it to host events.
Milford, Oh. Coffee Shop to Add a Bookstore: The Main Cup coffee shop in suburban Cincinnati will reopen soon under new owners, who plan to add a bookstore to the existing space. "With the addition of a bookstore, we’d like for guests to linger, discover and relax,” said the new owners.
How Two Detroit Area Indie Bookstores Thrive: Crain's Detroit Business profiles 11-year-old Source Booksellers in Detroit and Pages Booksellers in Rosedale Park, emphasizing the the stores' "personal touch."
Harvard Book Store Publishes the Obamas’ Farewell Speeches: Using the store's in-house POD machine, the bookstore published 20 copies of the Obamas' farewell speeches to commemorate the end of the Obama presidency. Alex Meriwether, the store’s marketing manager, said the books were produced by the staff, with the cover design done by the store manager.
Carol Troxell, owner of New Dominion Bookshop, Dies: Carol Troxell, owner of New Dominion Bookshop on Charlottesville, Va. died unexpectedly last Wednesday. She was 68. She bought the bookstore, which opened in 1924 and is considered the oldest in Virginia, in the mid-1980s and was influential in running the Virginia Festival of the Book. The staff say the store will continue as normal until further notice.
The Bookshop in Chapel Hill to Close: The store, which specializes in used and rare books, will close when its lease runs out on July 31. It had been opened since 1985, after the merging of two other bookstores, Bookends in The Courtyard and the Keith Martin Bookshop.
Ottawa’s Kaleidoscope Kids Books Up for Sale: The Canadian capitol's only dedicated children's bookstore is up for sale and will close unless a buyer is found. The three owners decided to make the change after struggle with flat sales and finding themselves unable to pay themselves any salary after 11 years in business.
