Due to the expansion of their landlord's business in Buffalo MN, Book Break has sought and found a new space in neighboring Maple Lake MN. Marilyn Groth, the store's owner and manager, says, "Maple Lake is where I started out 29 years ago. It is a smaller town in lake country, which is in need of a good anchor store, but it has been gaining several more artsy-type shops so it can be a destination." The store will be located in a large, hundred-year-old  brick building on Main Street in the middle of town. Says Groth, "I finally have space! It's exciting. After 25 years in Buffalo, I'm back where I started."

The Book Break will have a Re-Grand Opening Party sometime in October along with their usual "OctoberBookFest," and they're  looking forward to the holidays in a new location.

One of the upstairs apartments in the building that houses Daybreak Press Global Bookshop in St. Paul, MN, experienced a small electrical fire recently. Nothing in the bookstore was damaged, thankfully, but the city has determined that the entire building must be rewired as a safety precaution. As such, Daybreak has temporarily moved to an alternate office location and continues selling books online.

The Midwest Independent Booksellers Association is happy to announce Robert Martin's promotion to director of operations. 

Hired as a part-time executive assistant in early 2013, Robert readily demonstrated his extensive, well-rounded skill set and dedication to independent bookselling by managing the MIBA's book awards and Midwest Connections programs. He also quickly learned trade show operations as he managed exhibitors and hotel operations for the Heartland Fall Forum. Last year, MIBA hired Robert full-time and he became involved in all aspects of managing the association.

Moving ahead, Robert will take on increased responsibility regarding the internal operations of Midwest Booksellers, such as managing accounting, the database, and catalog production.

Carrie Obry, executive director of Midwest Booksellers, says, "Bob continually impresses me with his ability to manage complex workloads with grace and professionalism. He's a dedicated reader with especially competent nonprofit management skills, so I consider him the ideal employee for the job."

Please join us in congratulating Robert on his well-deserved promotion. 

The boards of directors of the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association and the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association are pleased to announce Ted Heinecken is the winner of the this year's Voice of the Heartland Award. 

Heinecken began his career as the Midwest sales rep of Oxford University Press in 1963, and in 1969 formed his own rep group Heinecken-Ide Associates. After selling Heinecken-Ide to Fujii in 2008, Ted continued to bring his wisdom and industry saavy to accounts in the Midwest until his retirement earlier this year.

Deb Leonard, executive director of GLIBA, said, “The Voice of the Heartland is awarded for a lifetime of dedication and service to independent bookselling and booksellers in the Great Lakes and Midwest regions.  Ted has given over 50 years of advising, nurturing, and encouragement to indies in our area.  I can’t think of a more deserving person to receive this honor.” 

Tom Lowry, of Lowry’s Books in Michigan, said, “From his first days as an Oxford University sales rep to his founding his own rep group, which was a stellar mix of the literary presses to the largest of the independent presses to some very saleable stuff, to his selling the Heinecken group to Fujii, Ted was always was in thick of new titles, bestsellers, literary titles, and so on. He just knew his stuff. He employed some of the best reps in the Midwest and was very kind and gracious to stores, GLIBA, and other causes."

Kris Kleindienst of Left Bank Books in St. Louis, MO said, "I worked with Ted for many years and found him to be an outstanding supporter of independent bookstores. He was fiercely loyal to his booksellers, continuing to call on stores no matter how tiny or how financially strapped. He was the very best of old school. I always felt like he had my back. When I was just learning the ropes as a buyer his advice was critical to my success. I consider him a mentor colleague and friend."

On behalf of MIBA and GLIBA, we think Ted’s information on the Fujii website says it all: "Ted Heinecken, legend." Thank you, Ted, for your dedication to independent bookselling throughout the Midwest.