Mon, 01/28/2019 - 09:52

hello hello bookshop owner Lacy Simons and employee Jacob Fricke. (File photo by Kay Stephens)

Publishers Weekly, the magazine for writers, announced its shortlist for the 2019 PW Bookstore of the Year Awards, and Rockland’s hello hello books is one of the five nominees. The awards recognize outstanding contributors to the bookselling industry. Hello hello’s owner, Lacy Simons, was present for the announcement at Winter Institute 14 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on January 25.

The PW Bookstore of the Year Award has been given every year for the past 26 years. This year’s winner will be named in late March and will be featured in the pre-BookExpo edition of Publishers Weekly magazine. The awards will be presented at BookExpo in New York City in June.

The motto of hello hello books, which opened in August of 2011 in the space behind Rock City Cafe in downtown Rockland, is “small but powerful.”

It is staffed by Simons and her three employees, features both new and used books, and is now the only bookstore in downtown Rockland.

In a news release, Simons said: “We’re inexpressibly proud to be singled out this way, especially because of our small size and relative remoteness. Those of us doing business year-round in Maine have challenges that often feel insurmountable, especially with the ever-growing threat of online competitors who provide zero financial contribution to the state. We wouldn’t be here, able to enjoy this honor, if it weren’t for the loyalty and love our customers show us by choosing to shop with us, and by supporting our creative growth. This nomination is confirmation, too, that what is special about us is also special about Rockland.”

In addition to being a business leader in Maine, Simons is recognized by the American Booksellers Association (ABA, the trade association for independent booksellers in the U.S.) for her book industry involvement. She serves on the ABA's invitation-only Bookseller Advisory Council and frequently gives talks and moderates panels about bookshops and small business practices.