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How one pair of helping hands became 300.
When longtime Serendipity Books owner Michelle Tuplin decided to move her bookstore to a new location, she had 9,100 books to move.
Her Chelsea, Michigan bookstore was moving about 350 feet away (a little longer than one U.S. football field) so it could double in size, and eliminate stairs, making it more accessible.
But how could she move thousands of books?
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When her customers asked how could they help, Michelle proposed a "book brigade."
On a Sunday, volunteers would form two lines opposite each other, from the old store to the new store and hand one book at a time to the next person down the line.
The last person would set the book on its shelf in the new store.
Michelle shared the book brigade idea on social media, and on posters and handouts. 300 people from 6-years-old to 91-years-of-age arrived to help, as did two people in wheelchairs.
"We wanted everybody to be able to do it," Michelle told The Washington Post. "If we did it book by book, they could all be a part of it."
When Patrick Conlin learned of the book brigade, he became so enthusiastic, he persuaded five members of his book club to join him.
"I thought, 'What a great way to be with local people,'" Patrick told The Post.
Ironically, the new bookstore is Patrick's old law office, where he practiced until becoming a judge 10-years ago. "It was a total turnout of the town," he added. "It was so cool."
The book brigade worked so well, that the move took less than two hours.
"The whole town is celebrating," said Michelle. "It feels really good."
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