Around Indies

Northshire Begins Hiring for Saratoga Springs Branch

Plans for the opening of a Northshire Bookstore branch store in Saratoga Springs, New York, are moving full speed ahead with the announcement this week that co-owner Chris Morrow is looking to hire 25 people in full- and part-time positions. Morrow is expected to hold a press conference tomorrow, April 12, to announce the employment plan, according to PostStar.com.

The meeting will be co-hosted by Northshire Saratoga Store Manager Nancy Scheemaker.

Northshire Bookstore was founded in 1976 in Manchester Center, Vermont. The Saratoga Springs store would be its second location.

Job descriptions and an employment application are available on the store’s website. Interviews are set to begin in Saratoga Springs next week, and will continue throughout the spring.

Reading Frenzy Corner Opens in Elk River

Reading Frenzy Bookshop in Zimmerman, Minnesota, has opened a new shop this week in neighboring town Elk River. The Reading Frenzy Corner will be housed in the Elk River Area Arts Alliance space at 609 Main St.

The Corner will keep a smaller stock than its counterpart and will focus on regional titles, children’s books, and art books, to cater to the nearby gallery visitors. The store will work in conjunction with the galleries to coordinate events, and the summer season will bring author readings, barbecues, and concerts on the Arts Alliance patio.

The store’s grand opening will be held April 20 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Children’s Book Clubs Foster Community Spirit

Independent stores in the Northeast are jumping on the children’s book club trend, reports the Wall Street Journal.

These kid-centric book clubs are drawing a new audience into the stores and creating a special group of dedicated customers. Powerhouse on 8^th and Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn have both started book clubs for younger audiences, as well as Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, New Jersey, and The Voracious Reader in Larchmont, New York. R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, Connecticut, hosts both children’s events and adult events at the same time to maximize the family experience.

The stores see the children’s book clubs as an opportunity to both foster community spirit and get kids excited about books at an early age. For the kids, it’s an opportunity to connect with others their own age and is an alternative to traditional after school and weekend activities.

Changing Hands’ Gayle Shanks Offers Tips for Authors

Gayle Shanks, the co-owner of Changing Hands Bookstore, talked with the Huffington Post this week about the ways authors can foster productive relationships with independent bookstores.

Shanks — who knows a good book when she sees one — recapped what authors should focus on in order to develop a better book: good writing, an interesting subject, and good character development. Writers often make mistakes in the development process, and should take extra care when considering the cover, editor, storyline, and marketing plan, Shanks said. Writers should also form a relationship with their independent bookstores by making connections with buyers and owners, knowing how to interact with customers and readers, and simply by shopping there.

As for the book industry, Shanks believes that as the novelty of staring at a screen all day wears off, people will migrate back to the printed book.