In a holiday season profile of Diane's Books, Greenwich, Conn., headlined "Sparking the Imagination, the Ultimate Gift," owner Diane Garrett told the Sentinel that after almost three decades in business, her greatest success has been witnessing the immense effect that books have had on generations of readers: "We truly care about raising readers, and we want everyone to fall into reading. Today more than ever, it's so important for us all to escape into a great story and embrace the journey that a book provides."
Asked what the key element is in fostering a true love for reading in a child, she replied: "Read out loud every single day to your children, no matter what their age, even up until college. Cuddle up together, read to them and let them get lost in their imagination."
Garrett "attributes the store's long-standing success to her underlying business principles, which she refers to as 'the 4 C's': compassion, community service, curiosity and communication," the Sentinel wrote, adding that she also "praised her hard-working team, comprised of 15 part-time staff members, whom she refers to as her 'Dazzling Divas.' "
"Everyone works part-time so that staff members can put family first, and then, when they come to work they are fresh and ready to focus, focus, focus," she said.
The Sentinel stated that "one of the shop's most notable offerings is its popular Red Flyer Gift Wagons, a long-standing tradition that includes gifting little wagons filled to the brim with hand-selected books for babies, children and adults--perfect for the holidays, but also popular for birthdays or any special occasion. These wagons are purchased and distributed across the globe and can be theme-based or tailored to a particular interest."