Owners Bob and Shannon Lingle have changed the name of Off the Beaten Path Bookstore in Lakewood, N.Y., to Good Neighbor Bookstore. While the bookstore will continue its mission of "fostering empathy by curating titles that promote understanding, creativity and diversity," the new name reflects the Lingle family's emphasis on kindness and being a good neighbor.
"Our name isn't meant to declare that we are good neighbors," they explained in a Facebook post announcing the change, "but that we are striving to be good neighbors, want you to be good neighbors, and are a place for good neighbors to convene."
The Lingles purchased the store in 2018 from Holly Richardson, who founded it in 2009. They've made several changes since then, including moving the bookstore to downtown Lakewood, bringing in new products, hosting virtual and in-store events and starting a podcast called Weaponize Literacy.
As the Lingles reflected on how much had changed over the past few years, as well as on the current political and social climate, they began to wonder "if weaponizing literacy, and adding more aggression into an already tense world, was such a good idea. We determined it wasn't."
The bookstore's website and phone number have stayed the same, though the website and e-mail address are new. They noted that gift cards for Off the Beaten Path are still valid.