Why Michigan Community Form a Human Store Chain, Move 9,100 Books at a Time

Moving is easy when you get 300 of your closest friends to help.

When Serendipity books in Chelsea, Michigan needed to move 9,100 books to a new location in the store a block away, they assembled a volunteer’s “book brigade” to form a human chain and pass each book (single) to its new home.

“We have five, six, and up until we are 91,” Michelle Tuplin, the owner of the store. happen Host Neil Coxer.

“People are singing. They are telling stories. They are reviewing these books when they move. You know, when they get to the romantic part, there is a lot of excitement. It's so fun.”

Alphabetical parts

Tuplelin said that accidental books did not do this to save money or labor. In fact, she hired a porter to the bookcase the next day.

“We have a lot of quotes about how people can help and we really want to be involved in a meaningful and inclusive way,” she said.

“I think the community really feels the ownership of accidental books, and I think it’s like many independent bookstores.”

When she called in January, she said she didn't know how many people would end up showing up and whether they would be able to achieve it.

But she said that many people listened to such calls, so that they formed not one but two people's chains, and the whole thing was completed in about two hours.

“It's divided by section, so the crazy thing is that, in fact, the projects stay in the correct section and alphabetical order for the most part,” Tuplin said.

“So, for us, in the new space, you know, there's really no unboxing or rearranging, re-tagging. It's really very organized.”

Kaci Friss, 32, worked in the accidental book book and grew up in Chelsea, a neighborhood with about 5,300 residents, 95 kilometers west of Detroit. She said the event reminded her of the “special” of the community.

“People just really pay attention to each other,” Fries said. “No matter where you go, you will meet people you know or know you and will ask you about your day.”

The store will reopen on April 26 at its new location, which happens to be Independent Bookstore Day.

Tuplein admits running a bookstore is a “hard business.” But, she said Chelsea people always appear in accidental books.

“People recognize these books they want in the community. They know what an independent bookstore in the community means,” she said.

“It means community engagement. It means community discussion, getting all kinds of books, all these great things. People seem to know that if that's what they want, then they have to support the bookstore.”