

EXETER — As the Water Street Bookstore approaches its 20th anniversary, owner Dan Chartrand wants the public to be involved in the celebration, and wants to hear how the community would like to see the bookstore move forward.

EXETER — As the Water Street Bookstore approaches its 20th anniversary, owner Dan Chartrand wants the public to be involved in the celebration, and wants to hear how the community would like to see the bookstore move forward.

"I've always wanted people to think of this as their bookstore, not mine," he said.

To that effect, the store is holding a "State of the Bookstore" open house reception at 6:30 p.m. today, April 12.

Chartrand said he's hoping to provide a comfortable setting where members of the public can give feedback about what the bookstore is doing well and how it can improve.

"We want to listen and hear very clearly about what residents are saying, digest it, and then we can move forward with that information," he said.

Stefanie Kiper, the store's events coordinator, said people have been hearing about Borders bookstores closing across the country, along with many independent shops as well, and the store wanted an opportunity to speak about why this is happening, the implications for the publishing industry and what it means for the store. Chartrand also plans to discuss the current electronic book revolution.

"We don't have any limitation on what we can do for our customers, in our minds," he said.

Chartrand is also hopeful today's event will generate some feedback in planning events to celebrate the store's 20th anniversary, an anniversary he is very proud of.

"It was always my intention to do this for a long time," he said. "I wanted to be connected to a town like Exeter."

While the inside of the store has expanded, the store has been at the same 125 Water St. location since opening in August 1991.

The business has always had a strong focus on children's books, especially with the Time of Wonder store next door, because of Exeter's family-friendly nature, according to Chartrand.

"When you do something like this for 20 years, the generational thing starts to kick in. You see children you knew when they were young start families of their own and bring them here," he said. "As an owner, stories like that help me to realize what an incredible impact we've had on the Seacoast."
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