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Little Shop of Stories Claims Its Prize: Neil Gaiman

On Monday, December 14, Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, Georgia, claimed one of two grand prizes in the Neil Gaiman Graveyard Book Halloween Party Contest, sponsored by HarperCollins Children's Books: a visit by Neil Gaiman himself. The event drew a thousand fans to Agnes Scott College for "a fantastic night," said Little Shop of Stories owner Diane Capriola. "Neil signed for six hours!"

On the store blog, Little Shop of Stories staff expressed their heartfelt thanks to Gaiman "for coming to Decatur and spending time with us yesterday. For a small, independent bookstore like ours, this was an opportunity to thank our loyal customers in a very special way and to introduce ourselves to a large number of people from all over Atlanta and the entire Southeast. In what often feels to be a desolate landscape littered with the remains of our comrades, you have helped to keep our light shining."

Lucky fans in the first row were home with an autographed book by 7:30 that night, but Gaiman "graciously signed until 1:18 a.m.," Little Shop of Stories said.

Eagle Eye Book Shop Honored as "Best of Atlanta"

Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur, Georgia has been named "Best Indie Bookstore in Atlanta for 2009" by Atlanta Magazine. In its December issue, the magazine said the store, owned by Diane and Doug Robinson, "strikes the perfect bookish balance between orderly and overwhelming. It's easy to dash in for something specific, but it's also possible to lose an entire afternoon just browsing. The staff is smart and witty. And if they can't find or special-order what you need, they'll refer you to other independent bookstores in town. Eagle Eye, which boasts 'more than a mile' of new and used books, is an active member of the community it serves, which is the best measure of success."

Doug Robinson, who is Eagle Eye's general manager, said that it was very gratifying to receive the reward, and the couple looks forward to "living up to the Atlanta Magazine standards."

Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative Celebrates 20 Years

The Wisconsin State Journal (WSJ) profiled the Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in Madison, Wisconsin, last Sunday with a party at a local bar featuring cake, music, "guest appearances by local characters, and a lot of shared memories."

The store, managed by Allen Ruff, Marsha Rummel, and Joshua Stuewer, carries on "a tradition that is deep-rooted in Madison" Ruff told the WSJ, which noted that the local "[Green Lantern Food Co-op] is said to have burned its membership files in 1951, after it was rumored they might be subpoenaed by Joe McCarthy. Fifty years later,"the WSJ added, "the Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative was front and center in the effort by booksellers and libraries to resist attempts by Homeland Security to monitor the reading habits of the citizenry."

The Rainbow Co-op continues to serve as a gathering place for progressives, who come not only to buy books, but also to hear speakers, poetry readings, music, and more. The store's "anchor" is textbooks for UW-Madison students, according to the WSJ, but it also sells general books and includes nonfiction sections catering to the progressive and university communities. The co-op also has an e-commerce site and a page on Facebook, with an extensive list of friends.

Aaron's Books Launches "Book Buying for a Cause"

Aaron's Books in Lititz, Pennsylvania, will be launching a new community fundraising and outreach program in January 2010: "Book Buying for a Cause," a monthly initiative providing local nonprofit groups with a new means of raising funds.

The bookstore, owned by Sam and Todd Dickinson, will choose one nonprofit that serves the same communities as Aaron's each month and donate a portion of all sales on Tuesdays during the month to the group. The first groups benefiting from the new program include the Lititz Rec Center, Lancaster County Division of the American Heart Association, the Literacy Council of Lancaster Lebanon, and the Susquehanna Sustainable Business Network. Future beneficiaries will be announced in the Aaron's Books monthly newsletter.

• About Bookstores
• News - Bookselling

• Little Shop of Stories Wins Graveyard Book Halloween Contest (11/19/2009)
• Pannell Award-Winning Little Shop of Stories Turns Five (7/8/2010)
• Neil Gaiman's Indie Halloween Party Plan (6/18/2009)
• Lake Forest Book Store Celebrates 60 Years (12/9/2009)
• Around Indies (3/3/2010)