Four St. Louis bookstores–Left Bank Books, Pudd’nhead Books, Main Street Books and Subterranean Books (which has said it might have to close this year)–have formed the St. Louis Independent Bookstore Alliance. They have a Facebook page, a joint website in the works, and are planning a bookstore tour. And they expect to welcome other area stores to the alliance. Nikki Furrer of Pudd’nhead Books says “This is a chance for all of us to promote St. Louis and stores that people here have not heard of.”
Pasadena’s Vroman’s is “very sad to see Borders go, but we’re also excited for the future.” With a Borders closing “just a few blocks” away, they are offering a $20 Vroman’s gift card to “the first 200 people to bring their Borders Rewards Plus cards” in for exchange.
Madison, WI store A Room of One’s Own is trying to take pre-emptive action, asking customers to “pledge to buy at least five more books this year compared with last year.” Co-owner and manager Sandi Torkildson says they” will gauge the response to help decide whether to renew the lease in 18 months.” She adds, “It’s not that we’re in trouble. It’s just a reminder.”
On the darker side, Special Occasions bookstore in Winston-Salen, NC will close after Mother’s Day after 27 years in business, “yielding to a weak economy and strong competition from e-books and online booksellers.” It’s called “one of the largest black-owned bookstores between Washington and Atlanta.”