We moved to our new location at 126 Greenwood Avenue in September 2013 into the center of Bethel’s historic downtown. We have plenty of parking, and a rear entrance, behind English Apothecary.
Byrd’s Books is a general bookstore that carries only new titles, with a special focus on Bethel authors, Connecticut authors, poets, publishers and illustrators. A proud member of the American Bookseller’s Association, and its division Indiebound, allows Byrd’s Books to participate in the larger community of bookselling nationwide.
Fully 25% of the inventory is dedicated to children’s books of all ages and genres, including poetry. We have additional sections beside the Connecticut section, that include bestsellers, mystery, nature, classics as well as greeting cards, gifts, puzzles, and a display of a large table of discounted titles. The bookstore takes special orders and offers gift certificates of any value. Our online ordering offers books, audiobook and ebooks at 20% discount and $.99 per piece shipping. Byrd’s Books does off-site book selling and in-store book fairs as fundraisers for schools.
The owner, Ms. Hutchinson, is the daughter of Nancy Ivison who owned Pymander Bookshop in Westport for 30 years. Ms. Hutchinson served as its manager and buyer over the years. She also worked at Barnes & Noble when it first opened in Danbury. Her Master’s of Art degree is in Teaching (MAT) with an emphasis on Young Adult literature.
Alice has been actively involved in Bethel’s culture for many years. She was a commission member of Bethel’s Planning and Zoning commission for 16 years, and she served as First Selectman for one term. She has two adult children: Sarah, who lives in Boston, MA; and Stephen, who lives in Bethel.