Around Indies

R.J. Julia’s Open Mic Night Featured in Patch

Every month, aspiring artists gather at R.J. Julia, in Madison, Connecticut for an open mic night, “Voices in the Bookstore,” hosted by the store’s events manager, John Wackman. Local poets, storytellers, singers, and writers come together to share their work at the events, which, Madison Patch noted, generate a sense of fellowship and community.

About 30 people attended the most recent event, which was filled with holiday cheer. “There were murmurs of recognition and sounds of excitement, as the audience geared up to hear the most recent work of their hometown favorites,” wrote Patch’s Gabrielle Karol.

Browseabout’s Steve Crane Named Citizen of the Year

On December 5, Steve Crane, co-owner of Browseabout Books, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, was named Citizen of the Year at Rehoboth Beach Main Street’s annual Community Unity Dinner. Crane and his wife, Barbara, have operated Browseabout since 1975.

“We just like to keep everything local,” Crane told Cape Gazette. “We like to create local jobs and help out. It’s the type of business we try to run the best we can.”

Crane credits his staff and the unique downtown community for his store’s success.

“People say, ‘How do you do all this?’ Well, we have really great staff that we work with. It’s like a family,” he said. “I think other stores depend on me to set a standard and keep up the store. You just try to do the right thing.”