Around Indies

Old Harbor Books is 250^th Seller of Google eBooks^TM

Old Harbor Books in Sitka, Alaska, is the 250^th independent bookseller to sell Google eBooks^TM via an IndieCommerce website. The Official Google Blog invited the store’s co-founder Don Muller to write a guest post about his store, and the addition of e-books.

The 35-year-old store specializes in Alaskana, Native American and Alaska Native, children’s ecology, travel, natural history, philosophy, and nautical books. On Monday, the store became the 250^th indie bookstore to sell Google eBooks^TM, since the launch of Google eBooks last December.

“In a town with a population of less than 9,000, we’re proud to provide personal service to the readers and explorers who visit our store,” wrote Muller. “We wanted to give our customers a way to buy books from us in whatever format they want – including e-books. So whether you want to read books on your computer, tablet, smartphone or e-reader, you can now choose from hundreds of thousands of Google eBooks titles we offer.

“We’re deeply grateful to Google eBooks and the American Booksellers Association for making this possible by connecting our IndieCommerce-powered website to the Google eBooks platform that lets us focus on merchandising books, rather than building the technology on our own.”

Anderson’s Book Shop Turns 65

This past Saturday, Anderson’s Book Shop, in Larchmont, New York, celebrated its 65^th birthday, reported Larchmont-Mamaroneck Patch. Founded in 1946 by Charles Anderson, the store changed hands several times before it was purchased by its current owners, Peter and Tamara Greeman.

For the celebration, Anderson’s hosted jazz musicians, served snacks, and invited several regular customers and elected officials. There was an arts and crafts table in the children’s section, where kids made Mother’s Day cards.

The store regularly holds author events and has recently added gift items, such as stationery, picture frames, and jewelry.

“The personal touch keeps people coming back,” said Greeman.

DIESEL, A Bookstore May Have a New Malibu home

Diesel, A Bookstore, with stores in Brentwood and Oakland, California, may be returning to Malibu. The store’s Malibu location closed earlier this year due to an unsustainable rent, but owners John Evans and Alison Reid announced at the time their intention of finding a new location in Malibu.

In an e-mail to Malibu Patch on Tuesday, Evans, an incoming ABA Board member, wrote, “We are in negotiation on a lease and hope to work something out within the next few weeks.”

Last week, BTW reported on Diesel’s community discussion about the store’s future.