Book store in Medina celebrates grand opening

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Author’s Note celebrated its grand opening Saturday morning with a ribbon cutting, from left, by Erica Caldwell, Olivia Marchese, and store owner Julie Berry and her husband Phil. Holding the ribbon are author Ginger Johnson (not shown) and Isaac Pace, a store employee.

MEDINA – A group of people started gathering at 9 a.m. Saturday morning for the grand opening of Author’s Note, the former Book Shoppe purchased by New York Times Best Selling author Julie Berry.

A Medina native, Berry said when she and her husband Phil decided to pick up their family and move from Los Angeles to buy the former Book Shoppe, she had no idea what she was getting into.

“I wondered how the community would receive me, but the support has blown me away,” Julie said before cutting the ribbon.

She commended store manager Erica Caldwell and book seller Olivia Marchese for their expertise in helping open the store.

Julie Berry and her husband Phil pose by the cake celebrating their grand opening of Author’s Note bookstore at 519 Main St. in Medina on Saturday morning.

She and Phil started remodeling in February, making dynamic changes in the store. Partitions were removed and ceilings raised, creating an open and airy shopping space. Phil spent hours leveling, sanding and refinished floors. Lounges and benches placed throughout the store create pleasing little nooks in which to sit and chat or browse through a book. Sid Eick of Basom built new bookshelves, which are now stocked to the fullest.

One of the first to line up for the grand opening was Mary Dunn of Medina.

“I’ve been coming here for years,” Dunn said. “I love supporting all our small local businesses. Julie is such a sweetheart. You can feel it when you walk in the store. You get the feeling you are family. The children’s section is beautiful. And anything they don’t have, they get for you.”

Mayor Mike Sidari said he was happy to welcome the Berrys to the village.

“It is a testament to our business community that she’s shown interest in opening up her store here,” Sidari said. “We wish her many years of success. She’s a great addition to our community, and it’s wonderful she has come back home, where everything started for her.”

From rear, Esme, Isla and Linnea Coleman of Le Roy site on a worm in the newly-remodeled children’s section of Author’s Note book store. Their mother Erica is store manager.

Medina native and County Legislator Skip Draper said the book store is part of a vibrant Main Street.

“When you look at all the stores downtown, it’s like a giant bouquet that keeps on blooming,” Draper said.

County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson said she was so proud of the great turnout for the opening.

The Green family were among the many who came for the event.

Bronwyn Green said she was so proud of her grandson, 5-year-old Hollis Green.

“When we walked in the store, Hollis looked around and said, ‘This my favorite store, because they have so many books.’”

Hollis Green, 5, loves to read. He visited the grand opening of Author’s Note on Saturday morning with his mother Sawyer Green and grandmother Bronwyn Green.

Hollis’ parents, John and Sawyer Green, are both teachers at Albion Central School. She teaches English and her husband, social studies, so they know the importance of reading. Sawyer said they have brought Hollis to the book store several times, and she already has a list for Julie to order.

“Hollis, who just started kindergarten in Medina, would stay here all day if he could,” she said. “We spend a lot of time reading with Hollis.”

Participating in Author’s Note grand opening was author Ginger Johnson, a Buffalo native and friend of Julie’s. Hers was the first book the store celebrated with a book signing on Sept. 18.

Julie wrote a poem to commemorate her grand opening, and it is posted in the store window.

“We’ve loved being your book store this summer,” she wrote in an e-mail to friends and customers. “What you’ve seen from us thus far is only a dress rehearsal for what we’re about to be.”

Author’s Note also sells eBooks through the link Kobo Store. They recently participated in Wise Middle School’s book fair, and hope to work with other schools and community groups to construct a made-to-order book fair. Information is available at info@authorsnote.com.

Other items Author’s Note offers are candles, greeting cards, children’s toys, jigsaw puzzles and gourmet coffees.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

Barry Flansburg presents a certificate on behalf of Assemblyman Steve Hawley to Julie Berry at the grand opening of her new book store Saturday morning, Author’s Note.