Gastonia, Gaston County stores part of Greater Charlotte Book Crawl
Two Gaston County indie bookstores are participating in the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl
By HERE News
Two Gaston County indie bookstores are participating in the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl, an annual event in which participants can win prizes for visiting 19 independent bookstores in the greater Charlotte area. The book crawl began April 1 and will continue until April 30. Bookstore lovers can pick up Greater Charlotte Book Crawl passports at any of the participating bookstores, including at Cleary’s Bookstore in Mount Holly and Belmont Bookshop in Belmont. Each visit to one of the bookstores during the month of April earns the participant a new stamp, with no purchase necessary. The ultimate goal is to visit all 19 stores.
An Effort to Promote Independent Bookstores
“It really is meant for readers to gain awareness of all of the wonderful independent bookstores that we have in this region,” said Alison Sheridan, owner of Cleary’s Bookstore. “It certainly is a community effort. All the stores are working together to lift each other up and raise awareness and visibility because we want to make sure that indies are around and support each other.”
Sheridan said that participants who finish the book crawl will receive a prize at the last store they visit, a book crawl themed tote bag. Finishers also are entered to win one of three grand prizes, a selection of seven gift cards to participating bookstores. Bookstores are also partnering with a Charlotte-based literary nonprofit, Promising Pages, to collect books for children who need them. Participants can bring books for children aged pre-k through fifth grade.
Supporting Children’s Literacy
“They’re an organization who aim to provide home libraries for 60,000 children in the Charlotte area who currently live in a book desert,” Sheridan said. “So they collect new and donated books and distribute them to students and organizations with the goal of eliminating the book desert and providing a free resource to those who need it most.”
Get Involved
Visit greatercharlottebookcrawl.com for a complete list of participating stores. Don’t miss this chance to support local, independent bookstores and contribute to children’s literacy in the Charlotte area.
