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December 8, 2011
For More Information, Contact:
Lisa Gardiner (916) 651-4011 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
SIMITIAN HONORS CAPITOLA BOOK CAFÉ AS
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
SACRAMENTO – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will honor Capitola Book Café as the 11th State Senate District Small Business of the Year on Dec. 12 at the Book Café. At the event, Simitian will present a resolution praising the store’s contribution to the community and its commitment to reading, customer service and high business ethics.
After the presentation, author Frank Bardacke will discuss his new book, “Trampling Out The Vintage: Cesar Chavez and the Two Souls of the United Farm Workers.” The event takes place at 7:30PM at the bookstore, 1475 41st Avenue in Capitola.
“Capitola Book Café reflects the vitality and creativity of Santa Cruz County,” said Simitian. “It shows that independent bookstores can survive and thrive by providing not only a compelling selection of things to read, but also a comfortable and inviting environment – with a café and wine bar – in which to enjoy good books and good conversation.”
The Book Café has been in business since 1980, featuring an inventory of 65,000 titles in fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books, as well as greeting cards, magazines and newspapers. Just as important, it provides a forum for the discussion of books and ideas through its author series, hosting 12 to 15 events a month. In the past, the Book Café has presented such prominent authors as Salman Rushdie, David Sedaris and T.C. Boyle.
“We are humbled and honored to accept this award from Senator Simitian,” said Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, general manager and co-owner of Capitola Book Café. “To us, bookselling is more than a profession. It’s a way of life. Like independent booksellers everywhere, we help support our local economy, promote the exchange of ideas, and bring our neighbors together, through books, authors, and conversation.”
Simitian echoed those sentiments. “Capitola Book Café and other independent booksellers are more than just stores. They’re community gathering places. They’re repositories of ideas. They’re the place we go to acquire knowledge and let loose our imagination.”
Simitian has named an independent bookseller as Small Business of the Year in his district for seven consecutive years. Previous honorees were Linden Tree in Los Altos, Bookshop Santa Cruz, Kepler’s in Menlo Park, Bell’s Books in Palo Alto, Hicklebee’s in San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood, and Books Inc. in Palo Alto.
“We are grateful that Senator Simitian recognizes what a vital role independent booksellers play, and to our community for giving us the privilege of serving them all these years,” Mayer-Lochtefeld added.
The Small Business of the Year award is presented by state legislators in conjunction with the California Small Business Association. This year’s awardees were recognized in Sacramento on June 6 as part of California Small Business Day.
The Dec. 12 event at Capitola Book Café is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Simitian’s district office at 650-688-6384, or Capitola Book Café at 831-462-4415.