By RANDY BARTLEY
Staff writer
The Watershed Journal Literary Group, a nonprofit organization, is “thrilled” to announce the grand opening of its bookstore and literary arts center, Watershed Books, starting at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 6.
Watershed Books is located at 108 Main Street in Brookville.
The store will offer a retail space with thousands of new and gently used books in a variety of categories like popular fiction, memoir/biography, children’s books, cookbooks, nonfiction, philosophy, multicultural literature, and classic literature.
The store will also prominently feature, promote, and sell books by regional authors.
The location also includes a literary arts center for writers and other creative folks to meet, collaborate, and share their work.
The facility is equipped with two desktop computers, a laptop, and a projector thanks to generous donations from sponsors.
“Our mission is to empower and elevate regional authorship and readership in the western Pennsylvania Wilds,” explained Jess Weible, the executive editor of the Journal. “Having this space is going to allow us to take that mission to the next level.”
Weible explained Watershed Books would never have happened without the overwhelming support from the community.
“When we first had the idea for Watershed Books, we decided to reach out to our network of supporters and see if it was something they wanted to happen,” Weible said. “The way that our sponsors, submitters, and readers have rallied behind the effort to open Watershed Books has been amazing. Thanks to sponsors, we more than doubled our fundraising goal.
“And donations for books, furnishings, and technology have far exceeded our expectations.”
The grand opening of Watershed Books will feature book giveaways where visitors can enter to win signed copies of books by local authors.
Thanks to photographer Paul Staniszewski there will also be a silent auction fundraiser to purchase one of his framed floral photographs.
The Watershed Journal Literary Group is thrilled to share Watershed Books with the public.
The Journal’s managing editor, Sarah Rossey, expressed how determined she and the Watershed team are to make sure the bookstore and literary arts center becomes a fixture on Main Street for years to come.
“The literary scene in our region has been growing wider and deeper and we are honored to establish a literary arts center in the midst of this fervor,” said Rossey. “The unique perspective and enthusiasm in those who choose to make their home here is matched earnestly by our communal support for each other’s voices.
“With workshops, seminars, writing and reading groups and more, we aim to feed and foster our storytellers in meaningful and lasting ways.”