By Priscila Korb from Patch

The store received the honor earlier this week.

Westhampton Beach Bookstore Named Publishers Weekly Bookseller of the Year
Publishers Weekly recently announced that they have named Books & Books in Westhampton Beach as Bookseller of the Year for 2015.

“Given the outsized influence that 33-year-old Books & Books has exerted on independent bookstores and the literary culture at large, the biggest surprise about this year’s PW Bookstore of the Year Award is that it didn’t happen earlier,” Publisher Weekly’s Judith Rosen said.

The store is currently independently owned by local residents Jack McKeown and Denise Berthiaume.

Books & Books first store was a 500 square-foot space in Coral Gables, Florida opened by Mitchell Kaplan in 1982, who later expanded the original space and opened additional Florida branches in South Beach and Bal Harbour.

In 2007 a branch was opened in the Cayman Islands.

Books and Books Westhampton Beach, opened by McKeown and Berthiaume on July 1 2010, became the first independently owned Books & Books store.

The store hosts numerous author events in its store right in the middle of Main Street and in partnership with the Westhampton Free Public Library, the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, the Hamptons Synagogue and other local restaurants and establishments.

Last summer, the store hosted a book signing with Hillary Clinton which attracted more than 1,000 people and attracted major publicity.

On May 2, the store will participate in national Independent Bookstore Day with a trivia contest, giveaways and reception.

“It is a privilege to be included in the PW Bookseller of the Year Award along with our sister locations in South Florida and Grand Cayman,” McKeown said. “The last several years have seen resurgence in independent bookstores nationwide. This is due in large measure to the loyalty of our customers, the consciousness-raising success of the Shop Local movement, and the resilience and fortitude of independent bookstores across the US. So we think it appropriate to say that we share this award with booklovers and booksellers everywhere.”

For more on this story go to: http://patch.com/new-york/westhampton-hamptonbays/westhampton-beach-bookstore-named-publishers-weekly-bookseller-year

EDITOR: Books and Books in the Cayman Islands is situated at Camana Bay, Grand Cayman.