The winner of the Isaac Epstein Scholarship, awarded annually by the New England Independent Booksellers Association in memory of the late owner of Huntington's Bookstore in Hartford, Conn., and past treasurer of NEIBA, is Joanne Doggart, co-owner of Where the Sidewalk Ends: Books, Gifts, and Coffee on Cape Cod, Chatham, Mass. Doggart receives $1,000 to use toward professional development; possibilities include attending BEA or a Paz & Associates school, although in this case, a trip to the ABA's Winter Institute is in the cards (see below).
Doggart was nominated by her daughter and co-owner Caitlin Doggart. Judging from her nominating letter, this is a wonderful choice. The letter reads, in part, "To begin a new career at age 50 is a daunting task. To enter into the field of bookselling, with its maze of imprints, distributors, and publishers; an intimidating myriad of already-established networking contacts; changing technology (in 2005 ISBN-13 was looming on the horizon); unpredictable surges in the bestseller lists and the pressure to have read each title with less time than ever in which to do so, feels like madness. To take on all of the above with a diagnosis of cancer demonstrates a true commitment to a long-time dream. My mother, Joanne Doggart, did just this in April of 2005."
Although her daughter advised she give up the store and focus on getting healthy, Joanne Doggart persevered--and has a clean bill of health now.
"My mother has made this job choice a lifestyle," Doggart continued. "Working more than full-time, she brings piles of catalogs with her on vacation. She is fired-up about bookselling and the activities that accompany running a store. Our store runs a series of children's parties every Wednesday morning in the summer, and her Fancy Nancy party was the best: nearly 30 little girls in high heels, tiaras, dresses doing crafts, a parade, and listening to my mother, herself decked out in a blue boa, reading the Fancy Nancy stories. Her participation with ABA has led to a Booksense Pick quote for the Halloween Top 10 and a quote of hers printed on a promotional poster from Simon & Schuster. Her Staff Pick cards for both the obscure older title Pope Joan and for the newer memoir Summer at Tiffany made them long-term consistent bestsellers for our store. Most importantly, the relationships she has forged with our customers is truly emblematic of the value of independent bookselling. People of all ages come in specifically asking for her, and one woman calls regularly from Texas to get advice from 'Miss Joanne' for all of her gift-giving needs."
Now the Doggarts want to continue their professional development. "We have been trying to work a Winter Institute visit into the budget of this year and if my mother is awarded the Isaac Epstein Scholarship I know she will delight her colleagues in attendance in Salt Lake City with her enthusiasm and friendliness, sitting in the front row with her ever-present notebook and pen to take notes, and thrilled to come home to Where the Sidewalk Ends and make it a stronger store."
Last summer Bookselling This Week profiled the store.