Serendipity Books, a beloved shop in Chelsea, Michigan recently secured a lease on a larger space just 350 feet away. While that's a wonderful sign for independent bookstores everywhere, the question became how to most efficiently and affordably move nearly 10,000 books down the block. Sure, they could shut down for several days to pack everything, transport boxes, and unpack it all. But that would be a costly closure. Then proprietor Michelle Tuplin had a flash of inspiration.
"People really consider independent bookstores theirs," Tuplin told NBC News. "It's really a part of the community, and they have ownership."
So she asked for volunteers and more than 300 people showed up on moving day. They formed an old-fashioned bucket brigade, actually two of them, and handed each book down the line one at a time. Video below.
"It was just a joyful experience," said Donna Zak, one of the volunteers. "We were passing the books and noticing and commenting to each other, 'Oh, have you read this one? I really enjoyed this one!'"
Two hours later, the job was done and all the books were on their new shelves, still in alphabetical order.
Previously:
• The Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles is a cool, huge indy bookstore
• Claustrophobic bookstore in Helsinki (photos)
• Astonishing book tunnel entrance to bookstore
