It’s the start of a new chapter for Edgartown Books, the Main street bookstore that will reopen next week under new ownership.
Jeffrey and Joyce Sudikoff, Los Angeles residents who own a home in Edgartown, are the new owners of the Main street building and the business. The sale closed on Friday. Purchase price was not disclosed.
Mr. Sudikoff was the founder and chief executive officer of IDB Communications Group Inc., and a former part owner of the Los Angeles Kings hockey team.
The Sudikoffs have hired Susan Mercier, the former manager of Edgartown Books, to serve as manager. Ms. Mercier said the Sudikoffs’ focus is on the community, and keeping a bookstore in Edgartown.
“They’re going to be great, great stewards of the building and the business,” she said. “They know the value of having an independent bookstore in a small town.”
One of their first acts was reinstating Ms. Mercier, who worked for Edgartown Books for several years. She left in March 2010 for personal reasons, and said it’s “surreal” to be back at the bookstore.
In January, former owners David and Ann LeBreton announced their plans to sell the bookstore, which they had operated for more than a decade. The store has been opened for limited hours over the spring.
The building is receiving a facelift, both inside and out; on Friday, books and shelves were covered in drop cloths as painting was underway, and Ms. Mercier said she’s been hard at work getting ready for the store’s reopening on Friday, May 25 at 9 a.m.
The store will be largely the same, she said, with most of the same staff of “incredible booksellers,” the painted murals on the staircase and author readings.
There will be some changes, though, with the store set to start carrying periodicals, looking into a delivery service, and having a greater online presence.
Ms. Mercier said she also wants to work on more community events, such as book clubs and appreciation nights for teachers or hospital workers. To her, it’s giving back to a community that has embraced the bookstore.
“People want to go back to their neighborhood stores,” she said. “The Island is very, very good to us.”
This article appears in May 18, 2012.
YEAH!!! SOOOOOO HAPPY! What a GREAT Book Store!
THANX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’M THRILLED!!! It just wouldn’t be a Vineyard vacation without Edgartown books.Thnk you,thank you, Sudikoffs!
Way to go nice people from LA!
We need a bookstore!
I ell be there and support you this summer 🙂
We are thrilled with the news that the bookstore will be open when we arrive on the island. It’s been a valuable landmark on Main Street and a great source for summer reading. Thank you.
Thank you Sudikoffs – This bookstore has been a tremendous asset to the fabric of our community and with your kind generosity hopefully it will continue to be a viable part of our town for generations to come. We’d also like to thank Jim Joyce of Carroll and Vincent Real Estate for helping facilitate this transaction.