Congratulations to Titcomb's Bookshop, East Sandwich, Mass., which has begun celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Highlights of the celebration are appearances between now and November at the Cape Cod bookstore by authors including Mary Oliver, Richard Russo, Wally Lamb, Andrew Clements and Jeannette Walls.
The store was founded Ralph and Nancy Titcomb in July 1969, when the Titcombs and their eight children moved to East Sandwich. The pair, who continue to own the store, had been selling antiquarian books and papers that they had discovered in their property in Canterbury, Conn., a mail-order business they called the Paper Barn.
The Paper Barn opened as a used and rare bookstore in a home on Route 6A originally built in 1790. Members of the family were recruited to help, including Nancy Titcomb's mother, Edna Ericksen, who worked at the store well into her 90s.
The business evolved and became Titcomb's Bookshop. In 1974, the wrought-iron colonial man statue, crafted by Ted Titcomb--one of the Titcomb children--as part of his college portfolio, was installed and has since become a landmark.
In 1989, Titcomb's Bookshop moved into its current barn-style building, which was built by Paul and Ted Titcomb, two of the Titcomb children. In 1991, the Titcombs' eldest daughter, Vicky Uminowicz, joined the staff and began expanding the store's selection of new books. She now manages the store. Another daughter, Nancy Ockers, works at the store part time.
Among the many authors who have appeared at the store are Geraldine Brooks, Jodi Picoult, Alice Hoffman, Henry Winkler, Jeff Kinney and Andre Dubus III.
Steve Fisher, executive director of the New England Independent Booksellers Association, has commented: "For 40 years, Titcomb's Bookshop has embodied everything that is good and proud about independent bookselling dedicated to providing its customers with expertise, passion, individual service. Hats off to the next 40 years of local bookselling spirit!"
In 2007, the International Booksellers Federation selected Titcomb's Bookshop as one of 50 unique bookstores in the world and featured it in the IBF calendar.
