In a heartwarming show of community spirit, the small town of Chelsea, Michigan, pulled off a literary feat worthy of its own novel.
When the beloved local bookstore Serendipity Books announced it was moving to a larger space, owner Michelle Tuplin was faced with a logistical challenge: how to move 9,100 books — and hundreds of boxes — without closing the business for days.
“People really consider independent bookstores theirs,” Tuplin said Tuesday. “It’s really a part of the community, and they have ownership.”
So she came up with a novel idea.
Tuplin put out a call for volunteers, hoping some might lend a hand. What she got was a full-on movement — a human conveyor belt stretching 350 feet from the old store’s stockroom, around the corner and into the new location.
More than 300 people — and one very good dog — showed up to help. Neighbors, customers and even passersby joined in, forming two human chains to get the job done.
“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!’”
In less than two hours, Serendipity Books’ entire inventory had been transferred — in alphabetical order, no less.
“There was a 91-year-old woman. There was a good customer who has issues with his heart. There was somebody with their 6-year-old child. And we figured if we just did it book by book, everybody could be involved,” Tuplin said.
The new storefront, which is more than twice the size of the old one, will open later this month ahead of Independent Bookstore Day on April 26, a celebration of indie shops and the communities that support them.
“To see the community come out and, you know, put all those words that they say, usually say, into action, it truly just meant the world,” Tuplin said. “It was overwhelming.”
It was proof that the written word, at least in one Michigan town, is alive and well. Sometimes, all it takes to spark a little magic is a shared love of books — and a willingness to pass it on.