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A newspaper clipping from The Book Keeper’s grand opening on September 27, 1980 hangs on the wall in Susan Chamberlain’s office. The store’s history is often front-of-mind for her. The Book Keeper originally opened in Northgate Plaza and has moved to different locations within the plaza throughout the years. In 2001, Chamberlain purchased the store from owner Kathy Mitchell and in 2010 the store moved to its current location. Not every community has a thriving independent bookstore. “It says a lot about the city and the customer support that we’ve had over the years,” Chamberlain explains.

The Book Keeper carries a wide selection of books and places hundreds of special orders weekly. Customers can look up current inventory or reserve a book on the website: www.sarniabookkeeper.com. Each staff member brings a unique and extensive knowledge of books and they are especially good at making recommendations. Alongside the wide selection of books, the store also offers a variety of giftware, board games, and jewelry. Chamberlain saw the local demand for these items at Poppies, the gift shop inside Bluewater Health that she opened in 2010. “These additions have allowed The Book Keeper to become the ideal place to shop, not only for book lovers, but for anyone who appreciates a unique gift,” shares Chamberlain. During the recent pandemic, The Book Keeper was the go-to place to get puzzles, family board games and of course books to get through the quarantine.

The Book Keeper maintains a strong relationship with the community. Their current location allows them the space and flexibility to host many unique events. With the addition of an Adult Book Club as well as a Teen Book Club they’ve brought many new readers to their store. Preschool Storytime offers a chance for caregivers to bring the kids for some socialization and gives them an opportunity to introduce their love of reading to their children. Drag Queen Storytime has been a new addition and this encompasses The Book Keeper’s love of and commitment to inclusion and diversity. Chamberlain has invited several famous authors to Sarnia for book signings. Some of the most notable authors include Margaret Atwood, Mitch Albom, Commander Chris Hadfield, and retired NHL stars Darryl Sittler and Ken Dryden. When the events are too large to be accommodated in the bookstore, signings are often held at the Sarnia Library Theatre, and other local venues.

The Book Keeper is proud to support many local community organizations. They have run fundraisers for The Hub at Sarnia Lambton Rebound, Diversity Ed Safer Spaces Canada as well as donated profits from Orange Shirt Day to Hillside Elementary School and Aamjiwnaang Kinoomaage Gamig Elementary School.

At the heart of everything they do there is a collaboration between the community’s interests and passions and The Book Keeper’s commitment to contributing to and elevating the connections and conversations in our community. Chamberlain concludes, “Without the community supporting us we would not be able to thrive. We feel that it is our responsibility to also support the community that supports us.”