Indie Bookstore Helps Town Make List of Distinctive Destinations

The charming town of Woodstock -- the one in Illinois, 45 miles from Chicago, not the 1960s mecca in upstate New York -- was recently named one of the Dozen Distinctive Destinations of 2007 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Among the town's most notable features, according to the trust, are its "delightful collection of shops," which includes Read Between the Lynes, a 20-month-old independent general bookstore owned by Arlene Lynes.

The Victorian village of 30,000, which was selected from a pool of more than 60 applicants, was also cited for its town square and its thriving historic downtown, featuring a 1889 Romanesque-style Opera House and five-story bell tower and a majestic 1857 Court House. The Opera House is the site of the renowned Woodstock Mozart Festival, as well as many plays, concerts, and performances. The Court House is home to an art gallery, pottery shop, and the Chester Gould-Dick Tracy museum, honoring the hometown cartoonist who created the legendary detective. Woodstock also boasts many festivals, a farmers' market, outdoor band concerts, and, since 1992, annual Groundhog Day events celebrating the town's stand-in for Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in the movie Groundhog Day.

Lynes told BTW that she and all of the local businesses are delighted that Woodstock has been recognized as a national treasure. "A committee of our citizens worked together for two years to complete this application," she said. "It was a tremendous effort."

Noting that the designation has already attracted visitors to the town, and to the bookstore, Lynes told BTW that she regards the town council's recent decision to allocate $64,000 to promote tourism in the downtown business area as another reason to feel tremendous optimism for the future of Woodstock's local businesses.

"I am letting our sales reps know that we are very enthusiastic about the store's ability to attract audiences for visits from major authors and other special events," she explained. "Combine the supportive community here with our proximity to Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison, Wisconsin, and we are in an excellent position to partner with publishers."

Comments posted to the National Trust's Woodstock web page include praise for Lynes' store. "My favorite store was their charming bookstore ... I believe it was called Read Between the Lynes," wrote one poster. "Locally owned, it is completely charming, with the kind of personal service you'll never find at a 'big box.' Also loved the huge St. Bernard behind the counter!"

Independent bookstores and distinctive destinations overlap frequently in the National Trust's selections. Of the 12 destinations, nine feature independent bookstores and most have more than one. In addition to Woodstock, the list includes the independent bookstore communities of Charlottesville, Virginia; Chatham, Massachusetts; Chestertown, Maryland; Durango, Colorado; Ellensburg, Washington; Little Rock, Arkansas; Providence, Rhode Island; West Hollywood, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; Hillsborough, North Carolina; Mineral Point, Wisconsin; and Morgantown, West Virginia. --Nomi Schwartz