Later next week, Under the Sycamore Tree Bookstore, a 2,800-sq.-ft.
children's store, will open in the Prairie Crossing "conservation
community" of Grayslake, Ill., an hour from Chicago, Bookselling This Week reported.
The store's opening is behind schedule because of construction delays
on the new building, where it will occupy the ground level. But
the grand opening celebration for the building sounds worth the wait:
one author who will sign on Saturday, November 11, is Prairie Crossing
resident Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants.
A former teacher, owner Jackie Harris told BTW that "the store is
reminiscent of an old farm house, and we're going to put up a porch
swing on our porch for story times."
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Bookselling This Week
also profiles Bobbie Bicket, who bought the 52-year-old Country Bookshop in
Southern Pines, N.C., earlier this year after the daughter of the late
Joan Scott put it up for sale.
Bicket had worked at Sears and helped a friend with a clothing shop but
had no bookselling experience. Between the staff who "provide customer
service beyond compare" and a week at Paz & Associates' bookselling
school, she has learned a lot and loves "the constant change."
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An item from the Appleton Post-Crescent in Appleton, Wis., in its entirety:
"The independent bookstore called The Bookworm closed Wednesday at N474 Eisenhower Drive, Buchanan, after two years in business.
" 'Sales were steady until gas prices went up, and it was as if somebody closed my door,' said owner Jane Sprangers.
" 'When the economy gets tough, people cut back on luxuries and books
are one of them. It's tough out there for the little guy. But I
wouldn't change a thing. I loved what I did.' "
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Diane
Krol, her husband, Frank, and son Michael are the owners of the new
Paperback Exchange in Billerica, Mass., according to the Billerica Minuteman.
Krol had bought a used bookstore in Burlington earlier this year. When
it had to leave the space, she moved to a 14,000-sq.-ft. space in
Stromboli's Plaza.