“Let’s dare to be ourselves, for we do it better than anyone else can.” Shirley Briggs
“Independent Bookshops, new and used, are all different.” Fall into Books Tour
Just like the people who love and staff them, indie bookstores all have their own unique flavor; some are quirky and some, comforting as a cup of tea; some are cozy and some are cavernous. More and more bookstores are finding creative ways to celebrate and even flaunt their special qualities. A case in point: a dozen bookstores in upstate New York have teamed up to create what sounds like a fun and inspiring October for themselves and their readers, combining leaves that fall and turning leaves. Brilliant!
Thirteen independent bookstores in the Rochester, N.Y., area have joined forces for a celebratory romp called “Fall into Books –A Bookshop Tour.” Throughout the month of October. Bookstore “tourists” are encouraged to pick up a tour passport at the first bookstore tour stop they visit (or print out a passport online), then collect stamps at each store they visit. For every store stamped on their passport, they are eligible to win one of two gift baskets, and at any of the stores visited with the passport, tourists will receive a 10% discount on purchases.
In launching their innovative venture, the store owners wrote: “Much of the news lately is about the demise of retail, and especially the oft-told tale of bookstores going out of business. These 13 bookstores are out to show that they are here to stay! By visiting each store you can learn how much variety there is between bookstores–each one is unique with completely different types of books stocked and unique products that are not available elsewhere!”
Even the names of bookstores taking part have their own special flavor: Books, Etc. in Macedon; The Book Centre, Spencerport; Explore! The Bookstore, Clifton Springs; The Books Landing, Penn Yan; Greenwood Books, Rochester; The Dog Eared Book, Palmyra; Lift Bridge Bookshop, Brockport; The Paperback Place, Canandaigua; Mood Makers Books, Rochester.
What an inspired idea: a relaxing trip to see and read turning leaves. Write on!
