![]() ![]() To engage the community in buying local, Letterpress celebrated Independent Bookstore Day on May 2, 2015, and is looking forward to July’s month-long celebration of Find Waldo Local. Bernd Heinrich, a New England scientist and writer, and Maine mystery writer Paul Doiron. Events programming at the store also highlights local authors, said Osborne, such as Dr. The store devotes substantial shelving in its mystery and fiction sections to Maine authors or those writing about Maine, and has a full section of regional books. ![]() ![]() “Maine is just full of writers, and we have several who live right in the neighborhood who are quite popular,” said Osborne. The store also offers a frequent buyer program, educator discounts, a weekly senior discount day, regular children’s story times, and a consignment program to recognize and feature its many local and self-published authors. Well-stocked with a general-interest selection, Letterpress sells plenty of fiction, mysteries, history books, and children’s titles to cater to the surrounding schools as well as to area retirement communities. It’s the go-to place for the whole neighborhood.” The bookstore includes 864 square feet of selling space, plus a small office, storage, and receiving area, and is located in a shopping plaza with a grocery store, drug store, UPS shop, pet store, and a Starbucks - a destination for shoppers from several large towns in the surrounding area, as well as anyone cruising down the main drag into Portland. “Everyone’s really thrilled to have a bookstore in the neighborhood,” said Osborne. Meanwhile, Karen Bakshoian used her previous marketing experience with a software company in California to draft a marketing plan, and John Paul Bakshoian put his skills to work on receiving and inventory, as well as some event coordinating. I had a good idea of what was involved and what we would need,” Osborne said. “It was a lot of effort, but I had a lot of experience in running a store. Putting her bookselling experience to work, Osborne created a business plan and researched bank loans and venues. Looking to stay in the bookselling business, Osborne teamed up with her mother, Karen Bakshoian, and stepfather, John Paul Bakshoian, to open up a small shop in the suburbs of Portland. Osborne has worked in bookselling in Maine for 26 years, first at Bookland, then at Books Etc., and finally at Kennebooks, which are all now shuttered. Lots of regulars are sending their family and friends over. “Twenty-five percent of our customers every day are people who haven’t been in the store before. “We’re still getting discovered,” said owner and manager Katherine Osborne, who has a long history in the bookselling business, mainly in managerial and buying roles. Letterpress Books, a family-owned and operated bookstore that opened in Portland, Maine, in October 2013, is seeing business increase by the day, bolstered by good word-of-mouth, Portland’s strong Buy Local movement, and its owners’ commitment to filling the diverse needs of the local community. Katherine Osborne, Karen Bakshoian, and John Paul Bakshoian ![]()
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