Congratulations to Main Street Books in Mansfield, Ohio, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary next month. The Richland Source wrote that in 1997, John Fernyack purchased the building at 104 North Main Street, which had originally been a Little Professor book chain location.
"John bought it because he thinks a downtown needs to have a bookstore. And I totally agree. Together we're keeping it going strong," said store manager Llalan Fowler, adding that she uses a two-part strategy to keep the business successful: being an irreplaceable part of the community and offering things not offered at larger book chains. "They can beat us on prices, and I think most people know that," she said. "But I think all of these local readings and signings and Ohio history books are things you can't get there. We also help organize a lot of things downtown that do not necessarily have to do with books."
The birthday festivities will take place March 3. "We have a dedicated, loyal customer base," Fowler said, "a group of people I will see every week. At this party we will be revealing something that is giving back to them for supporting us for so long.... Together we’ll celebrate the year that represents, as it does for many Americans, an amazing, liberating, terrifying sort of freedom."