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Buffalo, MN's Book Break Moves to Maple Lake

9/8/2015

 
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.

Fire at Daybreak Press Global Bookshop

9/8/2015

 
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.
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Sarah Abe, the store's general manager, explained, "It looks like the repairs would be quite slow, so we are likely moving to a different address altogether. Our online business is still going strong, and we're hoping to move quickly."

Daybreak has not announced any plans for a fundraising campaign to aid their transition. If anyone would like to help, please contact the store directly.

Robert Martin Promoted to Director of Operations

9/4/2015

 
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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. 



Regional Bookseller Essay Series Announced

9/3/2015

 
Independent booksellers across the country are asked to submit personal essays for a nine-book series of regional paperbacks to be published by Unbridled Books with printing support by McNaughton & Gunn and edited by Carl Lennertz of ExpressEdit.net. 

Ron Rice, editor of My Bookstore, will gather the essays for publication, and Bob Minzesheimer, formerly of USA Today (and now an indie bookseller), will write a foreword for each volume.

The books’ content will mirror the territories of the regional associations. Each book will be published, one or two titles a year, when a sufficient number of essays is received to produce a complete book. Essays should be about each bookseller’s unique experience in his or her current or home state — life, travels, observations — past or present.  After design and production costs are recouped, remaining profits will go to a literacy program chosen by the booksellers whose personal essays comprise each volume.

  • Carl Lennertz: “I am so excited that Fred Ramey and Greg Michalson of Unbridled and Julie McFarland at McNaughton & Gunn see the joy of supporting a vehicle for bookseller authors to be published, as well as supporting a literacy cause. And yay re Ron and Bob, two great booklovers!”
  • Fred Ramey: “Greg and I have always admired independent booksellers and we love publishing diverse voices from around the country, so this is a natural for us.”
  • Julie McFarland: “McNaughton & Gunn is proud to support the publishing industry and our local communities through regional booksellers and literacy programs.”
  • Hut Landon of NCIBA: “Carl and I have discussed timing book publication dates to coincide with Independent Bookstore Day or with Buy Local events in each region. This project sounds very cool. I hope booksellers will send in their essays as soon as a busy bookstore life allows.”

To submit an essay, please follow the guidelines on the attached document.

Voice of the Heartland Recipient 2015

9/2/2015

 
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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. 

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Midwest Independent Booksellers Association
1375 Saint Anthony Ave, Suite 202-3
St. Paul MN 55104

Carrie Obry, Executive Director
carrie@midwestbooksellers.org

Kate Scott, Program Specialist
kate@midwestbooksellers.org


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