On of my favorite independent bookstores, up there with Wordsworth Book Co. in Little Rock, Dickson Street Books in Fayetteville, The Vermont Book Shop in Middlebury and North Country Books on Church Street in Burlington, closes its doors on Saturday. Lorenzen & Co. (7509 Cantrell Road, Tanglewood Shopping Center) has served Little Rock readers for 30 years. They’ll be open on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Proceeds from Saturday’s sale will benefit various literacy projects.

Many thanks to Rod and his staff. Lorenzen & Co. will be missed.

UPDATE:  The atmosphere was upbeat when I dropped in at noon yesterday. There were lots of people  buying books.  The staff seemed very glad to see old patrons and were polite and cordial as the assisted people trying to find certain titles.  I spent about an hour browsing.  My final purchases were:  “Independence Day” by Richard Ford, “Summerland” by Michael Chabon, “The Conservationist” by Nadine Gordimer, “Wait Till Next Year” by Doris Kearns Goodwin and “James Agee: A Life” by Laurence Bergreen.