Independent Book Store Day this weekend

April 25, 2019 · 0 Comments

Written By KIRA WRONSKA DORWARD

Forster’s Book Garden has two things to celebrate Saturday, April 27: both Independent Book Store Day and their 20th anniversary.

“When we started twenty years ago,” says her husband Paul, “Donna looked much younger than she does today.” The couple opened the bookstore in 1999 on its former Healey Road location (it is now located on the East facing Allan Drive plaza) when they realized the glaring need in Bolton for an independent book seller.

“I was home with our daughter,” says Donna, “and it was time to go back to work of some kind. [Paul] was downsized and was working on his golf-game.”

“You know, it’s really self-serving,” adds Paul. “We like to read and had to drive to Orangeville for books, so we thought, why not bring the books to us?”

And so Forster’s Book Garden was born. Then five years ago, authors in B.C. adopted the idea, started in the U.S., of celebrating Independent Book Store Day with a Canadian version of Independent Booksellers Day called “Author’s Indies Day”. In the last two years, Forster’s has decided to “step up to the plate” at their own store.

“Here we go,” says Donna. Taking place in the bookstore from 1-4 pm on Saturday, April 27 are events filled with local literary and Caledon fun. Four Ontario authors, Peter Jennings, Aino Anto, Donna Grassby, and Lorodana Cunti, along with two local authors (Angela Addams and Andrew Tyers) will be present for signings. A guest author-illustrator will also be demonstrating their art and talent.

Mary Maw of the Caledon Library, Bolton Branch, will be presiding over a “spinal poetry contest”, a competition where participants create a poem taken from the titles of books in the store. Leather-bound books will be awarded as prizes. “Congratulations to Donna and Paul of Forster’s Book Garden,” says Maw, “on achieving the exciting milestone of 20 years. Their store has been as much about community building as selling books. It has become a meeting space where readers can come together, discover new ideas, new books, hidden treasures and celebrate their local community.”

Palgrave-based company Armstrong and Blackbury “solitary bee house” creators will be hosting a talk, and Mount Wolfe Farm has organized a family-friendly rural skills workshop of customizing your own wooden bookmark and a spoon-carving demonstration, aka “whirring” a spoon. A Plant-A-Bean station, in addition to farm-themed colouring pages designed by Farm Manager Sarah Dolamore will also be provided in-store by the Mount Wolfe team.

Of Forster’s, Dolamore says, “Donna has been our family’s bookseller for years, from long before we began Mount Wolfe Farm and the Ontario Rural Skills Network. It’s wonderful to join Forster’s Book Garden as another local, family-run business that thrives on the support of the community. Contributing to a resilient economy on a local level may mean re-framing our habits as consumers, by being more intentional when you shop: buying your books in person instead of online, your groceries from the farmer who grew it in the soil up the road instead of shipped in from who-knows-where, or spending your free time making something with your hands instead of entertainments or hobbies that hinge on buying stuff stuff stuff and more plastic stuff. And all the while, helping someone in your community make a living, because your business is really significant for us… I don’t think Jeff Bezos or Galen Weston could say the same! “

A tasting of a new line of hot sauces called Bushwick will take place, and Starbucks will be supplying coffee to go with the cake being provided by the store.

In addition to all this, there will be double points awarded on all purchases made in store that day. It’s the perfect opportunity to make or buy something in time for Mother’s Day.

All of this is to encourage Caledon and Bolton residents to shop local. It’s important to support our small independent businesses, who in turn support others. When we as residents decide where to spend our dollar, it makes a considerable impact. Where better to spend it than supporting our neighbours and friends like Donna, Paul, local writers, Armstrong and Blackbury, and Mount Wolfe Farms?

Parties interested in showcasing at the event can still contact Donna at 905-951-1501 or forcam@bellnet.ca. For more on Forster’s Book Garden, visit their website at forstersbookgarden.ca, their Twitter account @forstersbooks, as well as their Facebook and Instagram Page.