Devaney, Doak & Garrett Celebrates 20 Years

This month, Farmington, Maine’s independent bookstore, Devaney, Doak & Garrett [1], celebrated its 20th anniversary by inviting the community to the store for an “Old Friends” literary-themed party.

Staff and volunteers donned the garb of fictional characters, including Jeeves, Tom Sawyer, Fancy Nancy, and Harriet The Spy, and customers were served food inspired by literature, such as Miss Havisham’s Wedding Cake, Gorgonzola sandwiches from Ulysses, and cucumber sandwiches from The Importance of Being Ernest.

Partygoers played games and were awarded prizes based on the number of literary allusions they could find around the store. And authors Cynthia Lord, Bernd Heinrich, and Wes McNair were in attendance to sign copies of their books.

“The party was a celebration of books, community, and friendship,” said owner Kenny Brechner. And the impressive turnout was “very heartwarming.”

Devaney, Doak & Garrett are the maiden names of the three women who founded the store in 1991. Shortly after it opened, Brechner became the store’s manager, and in 1995, the official owner. “They hired someone to run the store for a year, and I just fell in love with it,” he said.

“There have been no sharp turns in the store’s history but rather a steady growth of our core strengths,” Brechner added. DDG is known for its “eclectic and robust literature section, children’s books, literacy projects in the local schools, themed book parties, top flight service, and knowledgeable staff.” Customers also look forward to the store’s book reviews and newsletter, “The Weekly Top 2 [2].”

Brechner takes pride in the work he has done to build relationships with members of the community, especially through literacy outreach programs for children. He has developed several programs in area schools, including a newsletter that features student book reviews based on ARCs provided by DDG. The store also hosts several author events and book fairs for children.

“I really love working with the schools, and that’s something I’ve worked hard to develop,” said Brechner. “It’s a core part of our business.”

Brechner is also a book columnist for the local paper, the Daily Bulldog, and he’s marking the store’s anniversary with a 20th Anniversary Quote Quilt Contest [3]. The idea is for customers to create a story built entirely out of 20 consecutive quotes from 20 different books, one week at a time. Winners receive “everlasting fame” and a five-dollar bookstore gift certificate.

As for the future of DDG, Brechner is sure there will be “lots of hard work, community outreach, and community support,” he said. “We believe in using modern marketing tools such as our website e-mail newsletters and social media to bolster support for the physical book and the physical community.” DDG’s motto, “Knowledge, Selection and Service,” remains “the cornerstones of our store,” said Brechner.