Indie Spotlight: Blue Manatee Literary Project
Throughout all of season two, we’re offering our readers and listeners the opportunity to learn about independent bookstores across the country, to offer them support and to spread the amazing work that they do! We’re so excited to kick off our indie spotlight series with an indie bookstore close to our heart: the Blue Manatee Literacy Project.
Blue Manatee Literacy Project’s Kevin Kushman and Amanda Kranias
How It Began
In 1989, the Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore opened in Cincinnati’s Oakley neighborhood. Known for having a friendly and knowledgable staff of book lovers, the children’s bookstore quickly became a gem in the city, a place where children would grow up and bring their own children back. The little bookstore that could survived a recession, a move to a new location, and a shift in ownership.
The Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore in its former location.
The Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore moved to a new location down the street from its former one, and offered such services as free toddler and infant story times.
In the winter of 2018, the bookstore was sold to current owners Kevin Kushman and Amanda Kranias, creating what we know today as the Blue Manatee Literacy Project (BMLP)—now the little non-profit that could!
Buy a Book, Give a Book
BMLP’s honored the bookstore’s legacy and expanded it to reach every child in the city of Cincinnati. As a non-profit indie bookstore, they operate on a buy-one-give-one model. For every book purchased, BMLP is able to donate a book to a child in need.
But there’s more. Where Blue Manatee was once a children’s bookstore, BMLP now offers books at every reading level. From infant to adult, you are able to make all of your bookish purchases with them—and no matter what you’re reading, your purchase counts toward a donated children’s book. Which means you can purchase that new Reese’s Book Club pick or Oprah’s Book Club selection, and you’ll still be donating a children’s book to a child in need. It’s the ultimate guilt-free shopping experience.
Beyond The Book
Their buy-one-give-one model isn’t the only way BMLP operates. In partnership with local schools, educators, volunteers and staff, donated books help build classroom and home libraries, with books in varying reading levels and written by own-voices authors. They extend their retail location with pop-up bookstores with donated books, author visits to classrooms and schools, booths at local flea markets and holiday markets and more.
How You Can Help
Shop in-store or online, and every book purchase you make with them goes toward donating a book to a child in need. BMLP also accepts direct donations to their literacy program as well. Sign up for their newsletter for the latest in BMLP news and information, and make sure to go follow them on Instagram and Facebook for daily updates and bookish content!
BMLP is the featured indie bookstore on our first episode of season two. Listen below!