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Fremont Place Books Featured in MSNBC Series on the Recession

Fremont Place Books in Seattle, Washington, is one of three small businesses that MSNBC is following during the recession. The others are a Denver gift shop and a maternity and children's consignment shop in Lexington, Kentucky.

The first report, filed on Wednesday, December 17, looks at how the businesses have fared so far. In a January report, MSNBC will check back to find out how the stores did during the holiday season.

Fremont Place owner Henry Burton told MSNBC that business at his store, located in a neighborhood of gift shops, restaurants and bars, improved slightly in August, September and October, compared with 2007. But in November business fell by 10 percent.

The Galaxy Bookshop Celebrates 20 Years

On Saturday, December 6, Linda Ramsdell's The Galaxy Bookshop in Hardwick, Vermont, celebrated its 20th anniversary with a big party, where it debuted new Galaxy tote bags and offered customers 20 percent off staff picks and other favorites. "Though we limited our sale to a select number of books, customers didn't seem to limit their book buying -- it was a record sales day, and it's been rewarding to hear a number of customers tell us, 'I've done all of my Christmas shopping here!'" said Galaxy's Sandy Scott.

Treats included a croquembouche made by Chef Steven Obranovich of Claire's Restaurant & Bar, "a mouthwatering tower of cream-filled puff pastries, held together with caramel," noted Scott. And Ramsdell was surprised by visits from a couple of old friends -- former Random House sales rep Bill Andrews and the former owner of Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, Michael Katzenberg.

Allegory Books & Music Turns 30

Footnotes, the newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, notes that Allegory Books & Music "in beautiful Gleneden Beach, Oregon," is celebrating 30 years in business this month. The store is owned by Helen Barrett.