Vintage plans annual indie bookshop award

The Bookseller - 15.12.10 - Charlotte Williams

Vintage Books is launching an annual award for independent bookshops, tying in to the Random House imprint's 21st anniversary celebrations next year. The Vintage Independent Bookshop of the Year Award will be open to any independent bookshop, with the prize going to the bookshop that demonstrates the most innovation and creativity in promoting and selling Vintage books between January and 30th August 2011.

The prize will be judged by a panel including a member of the Booksellers Association and a team from Vintage. The winner will be announced at Vintage's anniversary party in September.

Kate Gunning, key account manager for independents at Random House, said: "Independent bookshops have always been brilliant supporters of Vintage Books and we have launched the Vintage Independent Bookshop of the Year to build on this. The competition is open to all independents, large and small, throughout the country. We want them to be an integral part of the anniversary celebrations and this awards will celebrate the flair and genius for hand selling for which they are famous. We hope it will be an opportunity to sell lots of books - and to have a lot of fun doing it."

The winning shop will be awarded £1,000, a crate of champagne, extra terms for the first six months of 2012 on all Vintage titles, and a "special privileges" VIP ticket, including author readings and signed stock. A runners-up prize will be awarded in each region.

Indies are being alerted at the moment, with Christmas cards being sent out announcing the award. Entry forms will be sent out at the beginning of January and will be downloadable from the trade section of the Vintage Books website.