Bookmans was proud to be a major sponsor of the 12th annual Northern Arizona Book Festival this last weekend, which featured well-known authors Robert Bly and Diana Gabaldon, among many others. Bookmans Flagstaff hosted two in-store readings by authors Tom Carpenter and Greg Brown and held a free brunch meet-and-greet Sunday morning with the book festival authors, where they sold signed books, gave publishing advice, and munched donuts with the public.

The highly anticipated remodel here at Bookmans Mesa is finally underway. Currently you can see the beginnings of a newly designed children's area, an expanded Electronics department, and - my personal favorite - the Bookmans Café. Ah, yes, dear readers, that is correct, soon we will have have our very own café, where you will have the opportunity to enhance your Bookmans experience with a café latte. Can you stand it? Girl, I know I can’t wait.

Bookmans hosted the Bike 2 Work Downtown Breakfast this past Friday, part of this year's Clean Air Days and Bike Fest. Between 200 and 250 participants stopped by Jácome Plaza during their bike ride commute to partake in complementary pastries and fruit, all in the spirit of doing right by the environment.

Phoenix turned out its largest Pride celebration to date this past weekend, with over 30,000 people in attendance this year. Visitors arrived from the Mesa/Phoenix area as well as Flagstaff, Tucson and surrounding states, and Bookmans celebrated our diversity by being the only entertainment exchange - or book or CD store for that matter - in the middle of it all.

We'd like to welcome Jason Calhoon's Cafe VanGo, now outside our Grant Rd. location.  Jason was 2008's SW Regional Barista champion, and most recently finished 2nd in the Latte art competition at Tempe's Cartel Coffee Lab Barista Jam.  He serves PTs Coffee, 2009's roaster of the year.  Cafe VanGo will be there every day from 7am until 5pm.  Stop by and meet our local espresso champ, and bring the coffee inside with you to browse!