Festival to celebrate new location for Lafayette's Alexander Books

Amanda McElfresh | The Daily Advertiser

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The new owners of Alexander Books will host Alexander Fest on Saturday, Dec. 15.

The festival will run from noon to 8 p.m. at the independent bookstore's new location at 2116 Johnston St. It will include live music, food, vendors, gifts and more.

The store, previously on West Congress Street, was sold to a group of five local residents in recent months. Current owner Barbara Alexander put the independent bookstore up for sale earlier this year, saying it was time for a new chapter in her life after the December 2017 death of her husband.

“Obviously it’s a landmark in the city and culturally for the community,” said Jori Bercier, one of the new owners. “I’ve gone there since I was a kid. To see it come up for sale and realize that we might lose this valuable community property and space — we couldn’t let that happen.”

Bercier purchased the business along with Dylan and Camille Simon, and Alexis and Will Premeaux.

The new store is just a little ways down from Ground Pati and the Ira Nelson Horticulture Center.

“I think this new location will really open us up to a broader group,” Bercier said. “We’re very close to campus, which is a plus. We still hope to serve all of the existing customers, but this new space is a little bit bigger and will offer more opportunities for events like poetry readings and stories.”

Bercier said the owners are currently working to move the store’s inventory to the new location. Alexander is helping with that process, as well as offering tips about the thousands of books and how to manage the collection.

“We keep calling her our adopted grandmother,” Bercier said of Alexander’s involvement. “We’ve seen all the wisdom she has gained from this business. Working with her has been such a fulfilling part of this. We do consider her family now.”

As for the cats that have been a part of the Alexander Books landscape, Bercier said at least one may make a cameo appearance every now and then. The cats belong to Alexander, so they will stay with her rather than move, but Bercier didn’t rule out an occasional visit.

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