Create Your Own Valentine's Day Card at The Storyteller's Book Store.

Here, at The Storyteller’s Book Store, we know the value of a Valentine card or note to thank that special someone in your life. While we have many books at the store including wedding journals, novels, love stories and children’s books about love, we are also providing the materials and space for our customers to come in and create their own Valentine Card.

This year, the shift in the economy has provided us all with the opportunity to reflect about what is most important in our lives. Family, friends, and personal values are all important in sustaining ourselves, businesses and communities. 

There’s nothing like a Valentine’s Day card to say I Love You, whether you are a spouse, child, mother, father or friend. 

Stop by The Storyteller’s Book Store on Friday, February 12th from 1-5pm or Saturday, February 13th from 9am-1pm to create your Valentine’s Day Card.

This Valentine’s Day, take the time to tell someone that you love them and appreciate what do or what they mean in your life. It’s as simple as a homemade card.

Visit us at www.storystorewf.com for more information.

We hope to bring, not only a greater selection of books, but also more events and activities at The Storyteller’s Book Store. We are looking to add visual art workshops, storytelling events, archiving and presentation, and recording audio stories in addition to our Open Mic Nights, author readings and Wake Forest Art After Hours Events.

In the meantime, bundle up, come to The  Storyteller’s Book Store in downtown Wake Forest, NC to find that perfect book nestled on the shelves, sip hot apple cider on selected Saturdays and browse our unique and eclectic selection of great reads.

The weather is still cold, but in the spring and summer, we’ll be buzzing with activities. Check back with us to hear about our exciting events, activities, and authors.

Celebrate the Holidays at The Storyteller's Book Store

The Storyteller’s Book Store of Wake Forest has planned a Holiday Party and Open House on Friday, December 11, 2009 from 5:00-9:00pm.

Each month, Wake Forest Art After Hours is held on the second Friday, and businesses in Wake Forest offer a variety of activities in addition to staying open after normal closing times. The Storyteller’s Book Store Holiday Open House will be held during Wake Forest Art After Hours.

Regina Nigro Heroux, author of Grandma’s Butterfly Garden will read during the Holiday Party and Open House. Young children and parents alike will appreciate this enjoyable book for its story, delightful illustrations and thoughtful message. Regina Nigro Heroux has been a nurse for over 22 years in the field of Oncology and chronic diseases and provides programs and services for the past 17 years, which include many community health issues empowering others to improve the quality of their lives. Grandma’s Butterfly Garden was inspired by her husband, children and her mother.

As an appreciation to all of their customers, The Storyteller’s Book Store will be offering a 10% discount off all books, cards, and 2010 calendars. In addition, they will provide refreshments including hot apple cider and key lime pies by Megan Cutter. Don’t forget to enter the raffle for free books and more! Come visit downtown Wake Forest, for music, entertainment, art exhibits, food and fun, and while you’re here, don’t forget to take advantage of the Special Holiday Sales at the Storyteller’s Holiday Party and Open House!

The Storyteller’s Book Store is a locally owned bookstore in the heart of Wake Forest, designed with open areas for activities and is furnished with a grand piano and a red antique barber chair, the “storyteller’s chair.” Paintings and photography from local artists adorn the walls and are for sale as well.

The Storyteller’s Book Store is located under the bridge at 100 E. Roosevelt Avenue in Downtown Wake Forest. For more information, contact Drew Bridges at 919-554-9146, e-mail storystore@nc.rr.com or visit our website at www.storystorewf.com.

Here, at The Storyteller’s Book Store, we are celebrating by a “Where the Wild Things Are Costume Party” for children of all ages on October 31, 2009 from 3:00-5:00pm. So dress up as Max or Wild Thing, and come on out to The Storyteller’s Book Store, before trick-or-treating and join in the fun. Prizes will be given to the best “Max” and best “Wild Thing” costumes!

Where the WIld Things Are Opens in Movie Theatres this Thursday

The book, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is a wonderful children’s story about Max, a little boy who makes mischief and trouble, sent to bed without supper. He finds himself traveling to Where the Wild Things are, magically calming them by staring into their eyes. He plays with them, but sends them to bed without supper. Finding himself lonely, he travels back home where supper is waiting for him in his room. 

While the on-screen version not only follows the book but expands upon the story, Where the Wild Things Are has received both excellent and mixed reviews. This story enraptures hearts of all ages, though some has found it suited best for children over 7 years old. 

At The Storyteller’s Book Store, we are excited to celebrate the on-screen version on this endearing book, which is well over thirty years old. So come out and celebrate with us, Where the Wild Things Are, on October 31, 2009 from 3:00-5:00pm. Great for a pre-trick or treating event, we will have refreshments, prizes for the best costume and more!

Near Niagra Falls, in the town Niagra-On-The-Lake, I found a bookstore from another time, The Old Niagra Bookshop.  Run for 40 years by Laura McFadden, no website, no computerized inventory system, and when she took my credit card she pulled out the manual swiper that uses the carbon copy paper receipts.

But what a delightful place! Books filled every possible space, wall to floor in this small one room store. It felt more like a personal library than a store. I asked about local authors and bought Too Close to the Falls, a memoir by Catherine Gildiner. I’m barely into it but to those drawn to memoir of the small town 1950s life, I can recommend it already.

Laura MacFadden is a gracious host. “This store is my life”  she says, recalling  being told why a bookstore could never work in that town.  I sense how much I could learn for her if I were not just passing through.

I’m not sure such a store could start up and survive in today’s world but if somehow that store’s soul could be shared through modern tools such as social network marketing, that would be a nourishing blend.

In a sense that’s what we are trying to do with The Storyteller’s Book Store of Wake Forest. The “storyteller” came before the written word, and the storyteller will endure even if paper books eventually disappear from daily use. Visit us on our website at storystorewf.com.

I think there is a formula for success for just such a business. Make it a busy place, with author readings/signings, open areas for storytelling and some music, and find local artists to adorn the walls with color and creativity. Set up shop in a place with other business neighbors who attact people to the area.

Don’t ignore the basics of a diverse inventory, attractive displays and comfortable areas for people to sit and browse, and include a first rate inventory management and prompt ordering capability. Hire smart people who love writing and reading. Sponsor book clubs and make friends with clubs already going.

Then use both technology and old fashioned person to person tools to spread the word. Have a great website for people to visit, and take the time to visit people, schools and organizations where reading is fundamental.

We’ve been in business for just over a year, and we are encouraged and optimistic. People in Wake Forest are rooting for us to be successful, and I plan to be here for a long time.

I am comfortable enough with our operation that I’m leaving Friday for a two week drive-in-the-car vacation and every where I go I will look for independent bookstores in small towns. When I get back, and perhaps along the way I will report back, adding ideas to my formula for success of being a busy place, a part of the community, offering nutritious food for the mind and operating a public space business where people want to gather.

Drew

Still in the process of building inventory, The Storyteller’s Book Store offers a diverse inventory of books and the capability to order most books in just days. Beyond the books we sponsor a variety of children’s storytelling, adult storytelling, author readings and open mic nights. In fact, in my heart - beyond the need to actually make this a profitable business – this store is mostly about storytelling, with an antique red leather barber chair in the middle of the store. You are invited to come, sit and tell your story.  

The book store is evolving to include and promote many opportunities for the local community to become involved in writing, literary events, storytelling and the creative arts. In my blog, I’ll be providing a variety of book reviews, upcoming events, newsworthy items, and tidbits for your literary pleasure. If you have read this far, you may want to go to the store website for more information about what goes on here. Find us at storystorewf.com