Waldo Comes to Main Street

Candlewick Press and the American Booksellers Association are partnering to bring “Find Waldo Local” to Main Street USA this July. Indie booksellers nationwide are invited to host a month-long scavenger hunt for Waldo throughout local businesses. The community-wide event was developed to help spread the Shop Local message.

Candlewick Press wanted to “dovetail Waldo’s 25^th anniversary celebration with the Shop Local movement by creating an exciting nationwide event to help ABA member bookstores remain strong and vibrant this summer,” said Elise Supovitz, director of field sales for Candlewick Press.

The idea stemmed from a Waldo promotion staged last year by Eight Cousins Bookstore [1]. “Their promotion was so successful that more than 500 children were out hunting for Waldo in local business establishments around the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts,” said Supovitz. “These kids and their parents were then directed back to the bookstore to shop for books!”

Find Waldo Local will start in participating communities on July 1, 2012, with kids and parents setting off on a hunt to find Waldo hidden in 20 local businesses. Waldo spotters will be eligible for prizes, and the event will culminate on July 31 with a grand ceremony held at the bookstore.

Candlewick is offering special terms on supporting orders and $50 in additional co-op, and will send a free kit containing everything to launch Find Waldo Local. Kit materials include a sturdy 40-inch Waldo standee, 20 mini Waldo standees, 20 Shop Local window clings, 220 “I Found Waldo” cards, and bag stuffers. Participation is capped at 250 stores.

Candlewick will also provide free prizes for participants, including 100 “I Found Waldo” buttons, five copies of Where’s Waldo? The Phenomenal Postcard Book, and one copy of Where’s Waldo? The Complete Collection box set. Complete details are provided in A Find Waldo Local brochure landing at bookstores in the January Red Box mailing and available here [2].

To participate, bookstores must sign up by March 1 at Indiebound.org/findwaldolocal [3] and agree to additional terms listed here [2].

“Candlewick is absolutely thrilled to partner with the ABA on Find Waldo Local,” said Supovitz. “We’re celebrating our 20^th anniversary this year and our business model of independence has remained unchanged over the past two decades. We are committed as ever to independent thinking and support of ABA-member independent bookstores.”