Wendy Hudson of Bookworks to Run Mitchell’s Book Corner

ReMain, a part of The Schmidt Family Foundation and owner of the building that is home to Mitchell’s Book Corner, has announced the formation of Nantucket Book Partners by Wendy Hudson, the owner of Bookworks on Broad Street for 18 years. and one of the organizers of Nantucket’s first Book Festival this June 15th-17th. Nantucket Book Partners will run both Mitchell’s Book Corner and Bookworks as full-service, year-round bookstores.

“At ReMain, we like to incubate new endeavors that inspire and support the next generation in a changing marketplace, and we also want to support downtown’s key institutions to help ensure they are in place for the long term,” said Wendy Schmidt, founder of ReMain and president of The Schmidt Family Foundation. “Since we purchased Mitchell’s in 2008, the bookselling business has seen unprecedented market shifts in the explosive popularity of e-readers and the success of online giants like Amazon.com. Independent booksellers in every market are working overtime to develop sustainable business models for their stores. Here on Nantucket, we are exceptionally fortunate to have two independent bookstores, and now, for them to combine forces while maintaining their individual characters is a realistic approach for successfully engaging this industry-wide challenge.”

Mary Jennings had been running Mitchell’s since the retirement of Mimi Beman four years ago. Mitchell’s was founded in 1968 by Henry “Mitch” Mitchell and Mary Allen Havemeyer and later run by their daughter Mimi Beman, who passed away in 2010.

“I truly believe that collaboration rather than competition is the best course for the island’s bookstores,” Wendy said. “Mitchell’s Book Corner and Bookworks will each retain their own unique personalities, but by functioning cooperatively we’ll be able to strengthen both entities and offer even more for the island’s readers.”

“The idea is to retain the best parts of each beloved store while expanding what we offer through less duplication and more cooperation. One web site, one events and offsite program, one point of sale system (sharing customer loyalty, gift card, and inventory information), yet two unique destinations that enhance downtown Nantucket. We plan to launch activities and outreach upstairs at Mitchell’s, operate with employee profit-sharing, create a volunteer program, and figure out many other ways to involve the community. Fun stuff.”

“This industry is in flux, but it has great potential if we approach it creatively in this special place. Embracing technology and listening to our customers will be the keys to success. We invite everyone to help us invent the next chapter for the stores, so please watch for new about a customer survey, dates for focus groups, and other invitations for feedback.”

Nantucket Business News

Calling all website designers
We’re compiling a list of website designers to make available to all subscribers of MAT. If you are a web designer living on island at least part of the year, please send me your name, the name of your business, your web address, and the web addresses of what you consider to be the three best websites you’ve designed. I’ll compile the list and include it in a future newsletter. Send to gene@mahonabouttown.com.

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Savannah
A well known and loved character will not be seen in her normal post this summer. Don and Jere Freedman’s dog Savannah was put to sleep last month at 18 years old when only one leg was strong enough to support her.

“Jere and I can only say that deep in our heart we could not have had a better dog. Her spirit, her love, her gentleness and her intellect were more than we could have imagined. We feel that god sent her to us. I can only wish that many more people are as fortunate as we were in having a dog like Savannah.”

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New art gallery in town

Robert Foster is opening a new art gallery on Daffodil Weekend called Robert Foster Fine Art at 8 India Street, or 8 India for short. It’s the former location of the Thomas Henry Gallery. (The Thomas Henry Gallery is moving to another part of town.) Robert has been an art dealer on Nantucket for 12 years now.

8 India will focus on local contemporary art of all genres and styles, with “quality, contemporary art accessible to everyone”. All artists either live or have lived on Nantucket at one time and still maintain connections to the arts on Nantucket. They include: John Devaney, Susan Lazarus, Daniel Sutherland, Deborah Vanderwolk, William McLane, Lisa Marie Duval, Robert Foster, Abigail Groff, Susan Whelihan, Whitney Kreb, Kirsten Sisk and Jeremy Tugeau. More artists are expected to join the roster later. Facebook page.

Business relocations
After 28 years, Noel Berry and Paul Bruno are leaving Main Street. Zero Main is moving to 34 Centre Street, first floor, and will open on May 1.

Judy Brust’s galleryblue will not be open on Old South Wharf this summer, but instead, Judy is exhibiting her own work on the second floor of The Gallery at 35 Main Street.

Woodmeister Master Builders has moved their Nantucket office from Old South Road to 147 Orange Street. Woodmeister offers residential construction, custom cabinetry and interiors, and Lifestyle Management Services, with offices in Newport, Rhode Island, and New York City.

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Chamber networking mixer
The Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce presents a March Madness Member Mixer at the Rose & Crown, Wednesday, March 16 from 6 – 9 PM. All island business people invited for networking, a dinner buffet, door prizes and live music from the Shep Cats. Meet new Executive Director, PJ Martin Smith and join the Chamber as an Associate Member for only $30. Learn about new business programs, seminars, workshops and more now being offered by the Chamber of Commerce. Chamber members $20. Non-members $25. RSVP to 508-228-3643 by March 14.

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Bookworks now selling e-books
You can now buy E-Books from Bookworks. The books are stored “in the cloud” and are accessible from your iPad, iPhone, NookColor, Sony Reader, and any smartphone or computer (except the Kindle) through a new program from Google E-Books. As you read, your page positions are saved across all the devices so you can pick up reading where you last left off – you can start reading on your PC, continue on your laptop, and carry on reading on your smartphone.

In most cases, the price is the same as you would pay elsewhere. To get started you’ll need a Google account, which you probably have already, and a Bookworks account.
More details here.

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New businesses

Babies and Bellies will be opening above Peach Trees at 19 Main Street this April, carrying baby and toddler apparel, junior apparel, kids shoes, swimwear for babies, maternity clothes, nursery furniture and accessories. The owners of this year round business are Nicole Whelden and Stephany Hunter. The store is designed for children up to 10 years old, and will be kid friendly with a play area for children. Website.

The Nantucket Cycling Studio is a new business located at 15 Amelia Drive, next to Accessible Dental, with stationary bikes for workouts and classes. No commitments or membership fees. Website.

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Allure

Nouveau Nantucket
By Holly Finigan

You may recognize the name as the popular women’s beauty magazine. You may even remember these men from their successful store on Chestnut Hill in Boston. But this summer, the former location of Wolfhound has a new set of glamorous paws in their storefront: Allure Cosmetics.

Owners Ron Getter and Yaniv Eyal have brought a new customer service to island cosmetic shoppers: when you purchase a product from Allure, be it an $18 eyeliner or a $200 Gratiae eye serum, you can come into the store once a week and they will apply the product for you. For example, buy Allure’s hair straighteners by Jose Eber from Rodeo Drive and the boys will straighten your hair once a week free just for buying it there.

For now, Allure is showcasing mineral make up by MICA Bella cosmetics, with organic skin and body care lines by Gratiae and hair care and human hair extensions by Beyond the Beauty. Come June, their second floor will be turned into a full spa with services including acupuncture, botox and juvederm injections, and state of the art spa therapy. They will also offer Latisse treatments, a six-week process that helps eyelashes grow thicker and fuller.

Ron and Yaniv stress the importance of taking care of one’s face. “It’s the first thing people notice when they meet you,” Ron said. “Men and women spend thousands of dollars on clothing and high heeled shoes, and they should also remember that it’s important to spend money on quality skin care products for their face.”

Fans of Allure’s products include celebrities like Madonna, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer. But don’t be intimidated by the prices – the shop has lines to satisfy all budgets.

Lip balm starts at $20, mascara goes for $28. For the novice make-up artist, Allure has starter kits for $42, which also make a great gift.

One of the Mica Bella cosmetics that Ron and Yaniv love is their mineral powdered colored make-up that costs just $15. This 5-in-1 product comes in more than 80 different colors and can be turned from a powdered eyeshawdow, to a lip gloss, to eye liner to mascara, even nail polish! Stop by the store and the boys will show you how its all done. And if you mention Mahon About Town, you’ll take advantage of the buy-two-get-one-free promotion with the Mica Bella eye powder.

Allure will be a year-round store, and Ron and Yaniv already feel a great community vibe from the island. They’ve had great feedback in their first month of being open, and have many repeat customers. They already feel very much at home here on Nantucket.

Stop by for a beauty treatment, a quick makeover, or just to check out all the new lines that Allure has to offer. (And don’t forget to ask about the Magic Capsules!) Open from 10 to 6, every day at 21 Main Street.

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Holly Finigan has been living seasonally in Nantucket for the last six years. The 26-year-old graduate of the University of New Hampshire has spent her winters in the Caribbean, New Zealand, and Maui, and Argentina. She tells people she was a monk in her former life. You can find Holly slinging drinks at Corazon del Mar. Check out her popular blog “the blACKbook” at www.hollyblACKbook.blogspot.com, or email Holly at hollyfinigan@gmail.com.

Milly & Grace Nantucket

Nouveau Nantucket
By Holly Finigan

Emily Ott will admit that she looks young. But don’t let this petite, pretty blonde fool you. The 26-year-old, who graduated in 2006 with a degree from Babson College in Entrepreneurship, has more business ventures up her fashionable sleeves than most adults twice her age.

Her new store, Milly & Grace (in the space formerly occupied by Addison Craig at 0 Washington Street) is named after her two grandmothers – Milly is the Sassy one and Grace is the sweet one. With these two in mind, Emily has created a store that is girlie, practical and fun with its combination of feminine clothing, beautiful furniture and pillows, vintage and nautical inspired jewelry, and even a kid section that includes “Good Manner Cards.”

“I wanted to have something for everyone, and a price point for everyone,” Emily stressed, and she has done an extraordinary job of offering merchandise at all prices for even the thriftiest of shoppers. Millie & Grace offers fashionable skirts for $55 and candles recycled from old wine bottles for $35 each. Her clothing lines, fresh to Nantucket boutiques, includes Soft Joie, Mini Rose, Julie Brown, Sine, Parameter, Bebe Dakota, with reasonable prices for gorgeous goods that will happily surprise you

If you asked her a year ago, Emily would never have believed she could open up her own store. No stranger to the clothing world, Emily worked retail for five years at Ralph Lauren in both Nantucket and Boston, and spent the past year under Karen Golov at Eye of the Needle. But as a summer resident since she was ten, and a year rounder for the past four years, Emily realized that she wanted to invest in the island. She signed the lease at 0 Washington Street at the end of this February. With the help of Steve Hollister, Emily’s boyfriend and local contractor of Cottage and Castle, the two painted the walls, built the three dressing rooms, constructed the clothing racks and installed a new sound system. After two months of learning the retail “buying” process, Emily opened up Milly & Grace on April 23rd, to an exciting and very busy Daffodil weekend success.

Her store, which she describes as both “classic and fun”, has walls painted a “pleasant pink” with gray trim to keep with the Nantucket theme. Her inspiration was to create a store with an “Anthropology” theme of both clothing articles and housing items, but to also include a little old and a little new. The backdrop for her vintage inspired necklaces include a door found right out of a dumpster and window frames that were going to get tossed from one of Steve’s construction sites.

Emily’s lines have been so popular, she’s literally sold her own bag off her shoulder … twice. Her $85 beach and day bag by Function has been such a showstopper that she’s rushed to carry more in the store, so she can keep one in her own possession.

You can build your own charm necklace and make your very own personalized and meaningful jewelry starting at $45. You can cozy up in Emily’s new favorite “cooler pashmina” cotton ruffle wrap by Mini Rose for $160 and grab a “Salt Jar” for $28, with a lead top to keep your kitchen’s summertime sea salt from clumping.

Whatever housewarming, kid birthday, new and inspiring jewelry or hot date dress you might need, you can find all this and so much more in Milly & Grace. And if things really take off this summer … you just might find Emily opening up a men’s store called “Cliff & Harry’s” in honor of her grandfathers in years to come.

But until then, enjoy Emily’s great taste and fresh ideas Thursday through Monday, 10 – 6 in the adorable and chic Milly & Grace.

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Holly Finigan has been living seasonally in Nantucket for the last six years. The 26-year-old graduate of the University of New Hampshire has spent her winters in the Caribbean, New Zealand, and Maui, and Argentina. She tells people she was a monk in her former life. You can find Holly slinging drinks at Corazon del Mar. Check out her popular blog “the blACKbook” at www.hollyblACKbook.blogspot.com, or email Holly at hollyfinigan@gmail.com.

Nantucket Retail Changes

New Gallery Opening on Main Street

The Gallery at 4 India owner Kathleen Knight will be opening a second location to be called The Gallery at 35 Main on Saturday, April 10. The new gallery will offer 19th-21st century fine arts, antiques, historic documents, art books, Nantucket memorabilia, and more. Kathleen’s theme is “A place where the old is new again.”

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New Antiques Shop on Centre Street
Deborah Lockhart is opening a new antiques store, The Lockhart Collection, at 15 Centre Street, sharing the space with Nantucket Artworks (formerly Island House Gallery). Deborah has been importing antiques and exhibiting at high-end antique shows for 25 years, and specializes in Colonial British and Anglo Raj furniture, architectural elements and decorative accessories, Chinese antique tables, benches and porcelains, British Campaign pieces, unusual lighting, and fine high karat gold Indian jewelry. Opening for Daffodil weekend.

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Retail Changes from 2009 to 2010
(New changes since last posting are in red)

Nantucket Retail Changes

Here’s a summary of the retail changes from 2009 to 2010 – in ownership and location, including those going out of business. Changes and additions to the last published list are in red. If you know of any additional changes, please let me know. (I’ll verify your tips before printing.)

Retail Changes on Nantucket

Here’s a summary of the retail changes from 2009 to 2010 – in ownership and location, including those going out of business. I’ll update as more information comes in. If you know of any additional changes, please let me know. (I’ll verify your tips before printing.)

Nantucket Retail News

Cavalier Gallery’s Gallery Director Lindsay Shoneman Ebanks wrote to tell me that Cavalier Gallery is open with absolutely no plans to close, and will remain open throughout the winter. The gallery is open from 10 to 5 daily, 10 to 2 on Sundays, and closed on Tuesdays.

Stephen Swift Furniture has relocated to 47 Main Street for the winter. In season, it will share the space with Seaman Schepps.

Debbie and Jamey Bennett, owners of Nantucket LightWedge, have decided to move their family and business off the island in August, and will close the Lightwedge office sometime this spring. Debbie cited the need to spend more time with their employees in Newton and elsewhere, the increasing workload and travel, the inability to successfully hire or recruit to the island key positions such as senior financial, operations and sales staff, and too many nights away from their children. “Towns that invest in ways to make themselves ‘high-tech’ and ‘knowledge worker’ friendly and then promote themselves that way are able to recruit and retain these types of businesses.”

“With the downturn in the economy and current outlook for 2009, the business cannot prudently support extra locations, and the company had to make the heartbreaking decision to close our office here and consolidate.” The family will likely end up in Wellesley, will keep their Nantucket home, and spend time here in the summer. Debbie wrote: “After 7+ years of feeling happily grounded and loving this island life and community, leaving is going to be more sad and difficult than we could have ever imagined. We adore Nantucket, most especially this very special year-round community that has always been so supportive to our family and business, and will always do whatever we can to give back to the ‘village’ that has given us SO much.”

Changes – Nantucket Retail

Tom Dickson of Orange Street Video has rented one of the rooms of the store to Sarah Hutton and Buzz Williams for a jewelry and art gallery. The building has been on the market for some time now with no takers, but Tom plans to continue to operate it as a video store.

Debbie and Doug Sosebee have taken over the Mielko Gallery on South Wharf, and will all it Sosebee Studio and Fine Art Gallery. Debbie will be painting down there on a regular basis, and the gallery will also show the work of Barbara Capizzo and Barbara Peavey. Opening May 23rd.

Lilly Fitzgerald will open a jewelry store in the Pacific Club building at 15 Main Street. Details in the Independent.

Molly Martin and Pam Diem will open Little Miss Drama, a jewelry store on Old South Wharf. Details in the Independent.

Laura Munder will open a jewelry store at 50 Main St. next to the Trinity Collection. Details in the Independent.

Kathleen Kelliher will have a gallery at 22 Old South Wharf, formerly the Capizzo Gallery. Details in the Independent.

The chocolate lingerie has closed at 44 Centre Street, to be replaced by Cooper-Shepherd Real Estate. Details in the Independent.

Sylvia Antiques is moving from Ray’s Court to 167 Orange St., which had been Nantucket Island House Antique Consignments. Details in the Independent.

Nantucket Changes

The Chamber of Commerce will be relocating to new offices upstairs at Zero Main Street, providing more space for the Chamber staff. These were once the offices of Walter Beinecke and Nancy Sevrens, Sherburne Associates. The Chamber office will be closed on February 28 and 29 for an office transition and will reopen on Monday, March 3 in their new location.

After 25 great years, Peter Conway has sold the Carlisle House Inn. The new owner is Heather Sheldon, who will be the live-in manager/owner, and plans to be open year round. Peter expects to still be on island as much as possible.

The Hawthorn House at 2 Chestnut Street is for sale.

Sanford Real Estate and Great Point Properties have merged, will relocate both businesses to the corner of North Beach and Easton Streets, and will be called Great Point Properties. (Sources, Independent and the Inquirer and Mirror)

Outdoor Power Equipment, 85 Pleasant Street, has been sold to Rusty Campbell, who has changed the name to Rusty’s Outdoor Power Equipment. (Source: Nantucket Independent).

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Mitchell’s Book Corner has been sold, and will remain a book store. Established in 1968, the building and business were bought by Wendy Schmidt, a summer resident and wife of Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google. Former owner Mimi Beman will continue to work at the store through then the transition, and green renovations will be made to the building.

For the full story, see the Independent and Inquirer & Mirror stories. The business will be operated by Mary Jennings and Lucretia Voigt.

In Mimi’s last weekly advertisement in the I&M, she said in part: “It is with relief, sadness, anticipation (and dreams of Italy) that I am stepping down as owner of MBC. I am passing the baton to a young, energetic, technologically savvy generation of booksellers… We feel very fortunate that it has been possible in these changing times to preserve our little literary corner of Main Street…Thank you community of Nantucket, year round, summer and yes, even day trippers, for all your support through the years.

Not at all one to pat herself on the back, Jim Sulzer and Barbara Elder sent me this, which says it better than I could:

“Nantucket has long been fortunate to have two distinctive, independent bookstores, and the purchase of Mitchell’s Book Corner by Wendy Schmidt promises to continue that run of good luck.

“As long-time owner Mimi Beman prepares to pass on the torch, it is time to acknowledge all she has done as the force behind Mitchell’s. Through her taste, care, and untiring hard work, she has created more than just a special bookstore. For the past three decades, Mimi has been nothing less than the guardian angel of Nantucket readers and writers. She has seemingly read every book, new and old, in the place and can give an informed, personal assessment of each. She knows all her customers, their families, and their histories and has shown an uncanny ability to match every reader with the right books. Meanwhile, quietly and behind the scenes, she has helped countless local authors find a publisher and an audience. She reads manuscripts, offers advice and encouragement, and stages wonderful book-signings. It’s difficult to imagine how she has found enough hours in the day to accomplish it all.

“A heartfelt thank you to Mimi from all of us who know and appreciate the many ways you have enriched our lives.”