Come celebrate 32 years of books in Friday Harbor!

In your rounds on Saturday, be sure & swing by the island’s oldest bookstore for a bit – here’s more from Laura:

Griffin Bay Bookstore Annual Sale
Anniversary Open House on
Saturday, November 12, 10:00am—6:00pm

20% off on all books in the store

Come on by!

Get ready for Griffin Bay Bookstore’s annual Open House and Sale on Saturday, November 12, 10:00am—6:00pm.

Bookstore owner Laura Norris and her team are celebrating 32 years of bookselling in Friday Harbor with a storewide sale of 20% off on all books in the store. Griffin Bay Bookstore holds this annual sale as a way of thanking our island community for loyal support and on-going patronage, for shopping locally, for valuing an independent bookstore. The Open House will feature complimentary snacks from Cynthia’s of Course, and the bookstore’s signature coffee, Caffe Umbria. The store is chock-full of not only books but also a wide range of gift items, perfect for getting you started on your holiday shopping.

Local artists and writers are well represented, among them photographers Jane Buck, Danny Herbert, and Kathleen Ballard. Jane Buck’s gift bag and holiday cards are an exclusive at Griffin Bay Bookstore. You’ll also find artwork from Spaulding Studios, favorites at the store for over 30 years. Photographer Mark Gardner’s book is on hand and his portraits are scattered about the store. Local authors are also well represented in a special section.

Many new gift items can be found in the store this fall, especially accoutrements for readers and writers: an expanded selection of Moleskine journals and planners, snappy reading lights, pens, notepads, and mouse pads.  There are children’s activities galore, scientific, educational, and just plain fun, especially the Folkmanis finger and hand puppets. For adults there are crossword puzzle books, stationery, 2012 calendars and planners, boxed and single holiday cards, all manner of journals. For readers of a certain age who habitually misplace their reading glasses, there are plenty nifty-looking bamboo readers and a basket full of perky and bright readers and their matching cloth holders. You won’t easily misplace them.

Penguin classic fans take note: You’ll find onesies and bibs for very young children emblazoned with “Future Reader.” What parent or grandparent could resist them? A Penguin coffee mug will appeal to your favorite adult reader. Travelers will find coffee mugs for their to-go drinks, many with Northwest Coast Native designs. If you need to haul your purchases around town, you might find a bamboo tote bag useful or you might like the smaller, bright red “Peace. Love. Books.” tote, from IndieBound. If you have to rummage around in the bottom of your purse or pocket to find chapstick or lip balm, you’ll want “Chubby Chap,” a big fat tube of yummy lip balm.

All that’s new in fiction and non-fiction, bestsellers and new releases, are all on hand, cookbooks and arts and crafts books, gardening, mysteries and suspense, everything you need to get through long winter nights or stormy afternoons.

Griffin Bay Bookstore is known for its excellent customer service. With a friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable staff, all of them book lovers, shoppers can expect help finding what they are looking for. The staff is committed to going the distance to lead customers to books that suit their preferences and immediate needs. This is person-to-person service with good conversation as a bonus. Griffin Bay invites browsing; invites you to explore, and mull over books and ideas, art and music, just like a good cultural hub should. In case you want to relax and chat, there’s fresh coffee, espresso, and tea in the café upstairs.

Griffin Bay Bookstore is part of IndieBound, an off shoot of the American Bookseller’s Association, developed to promote the benefits of independent bookstores across America as well as the benefits of shopping or buying locally. When you shop locally and support your independent bookstore you discover the next best, great reads. And you nurture your own community and its well-being, just one more reason to attend Griffin Bay Bookstore’s Open House and Anniversary Sale on Saturday, November 13, 10:00—6:00 p.m.! It’s a community tradition.

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