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Five years ago, on Friday, November 4, 2011 at 10:30 a.m began a new era for the 23,500-square-foot retail location with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at the store, located at 1499 Post Road. Local officials and representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, area businesses, and University partners and collaborators, including Follett Higher Education Group (FHEG) and Starbucks Coffee Company, had attended.

Since then, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ÊÓƵÎÞÏÞÖƹۿ´ has provided a multi-faceted shopping experience to a prime downtown site by opening a second University Bookstore in 2011, in the anchor store space left vacant by Borders Books & Music Store. The store features bestsellers, general interest titles, a large children's section, Starbucks, Follett Higher Education Group (FHEG) Textbooks, Vera Bradley® products, gifts and much more. With a strong hold on technology, this new store features audio, video, computer hardware, and the accessories needed to enhance those products. The store also sells emblematic apparel from the University and Fairfield Prep as well as Fairfield Ludlowe and Fairfield Warde high schools. ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ÊÓƵÎÞÏÞÖƹۿ´ students are able to purchase textbooks for courses and other study supplies at the Post Road site.

The store's Starbucks café has doubled as a gathering spot, offering coffee drinks, tea, snacks and bakery items. Starbucks moved into the bookstore in 2012 creating a dynamic space for community members, faculty/staff, and students to both work and enjoy.

Since the grand opening the bookstore has hosted book signings for authors such as Julie Andrews, Martha Stewart, Jan Brett, Mike Lupicia, and Dav Pilkey as well as other events drawing in large community crowds. In addition, numerous ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ÊÓƵÎÞÏÞÖƹۿ´ faculty members have hosted book talks and signing at this downtown location to help promote their publications and extend educational knowledge to the community at large. Children’s Events/Author Book Singings are well attended and are anecdotally a popular favorite amongst the community.

“Since we opened the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ÊÓƵÎÞÏÞÖƹۿ´ downtown bookstore in the Fall of 2011 in partnership with the Follett corporation, we’ve had over 600,000 patrons browse and shop at our wonderful town location. More importantly, we’ve been able to provide a vibrant and exciting book experience to town residents and guests which is essential to a dynamic college town in the Fairfield County region!" said, Jim Fitzpatrick '70, Assistant Vice President for Administrative & Student Affairs and town of Fairfield Resident for over forty years.

The downtown bookstore site has always been a vital location in the retail community. Previously, it was occupied by The Fairfield Store, a family-owned department store that opened in 1921 and remained at the site until 1996. The university is leasing the space from Kleban Holding Company, LLC. The university's partner in the initiative is Follett Higher Education Group.

5-Year Anniversary Celebration festivities will take place Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11 with an array of entertaining events, such as authors visits, live music, raffles, giveaways, cake, discounts and much more!

Saturday, December 10 Highlights:

12 p.m. Sweet Harmony & The Bensonians, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ÊÓƵÎÞÏÞÖƹۿ´ a Capella

1 p.m. Visit with Santa & the North Pole Ninja

Sunday, December 11 Highlights:

1 p.m.  “Words & Pictures” Workshop with Children’s Author/Illustrator Clare Pernice

2 p.m.  Saugatuck Digital Arts Workshop, Interactive Music & Animation Demo

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Full List of 5th Anniversary Celebration Events:

Saturday, Dec 10
11:00am - 1:00pm - Lucas, the Stag Mascot, will be on hand to meet & greet
fans of all ages!

11:00am - 1:00pm - Shawn Peterson, Author Meet & Greet - PEZ: From
Austrian Invention to American Icon (Local History)
1st floor
Join the world's first and only official PEZ historian, Shawn Peterson; on a journey of
sweet proportions for an inside look at the world's most cherished interactive candy.

11:00am - 1:00pm - Face Painting & Tattoos
1st floor - drop in

12:00pm – 1:00pm – The Bensonians & Sweet Harmony
Starbucks Cafe Live Music
The Bensonians & Sweet Harmony are subsets of The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ÊÓƵÎÞÏÞÖƹۿ´ Glee Club
(under the direction of Carole Ann Maxwell) and are the only all male a cappella group
and all female group at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ÊÓƵÎÞÏÞÖƹۿ´ respectively. Join us for an unforgettable
mini concert!

12:00pm – 2:00pm – Lucinda Scala Quinn, Author Meet & Greet – Mad Hungry
Family (Cooking)
1st floor
Author of the beloved Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys, Lucinda Scala Quinn is the
country’s foremost evangelist for family meals every day of the week. And she knows
that the only way to make them a reality is by building a repertoire of dishes that are
quick and easy to prepare, and guaranteed to please.

1:00pm - 2:00pm – Visit with Santa & the North Pole Ninja
Greet Santa Claus as he arrives on a Fire Truck at our Post Road entrance! Follow Santa
up to the 2nd floor for a special visit & photo ops. Also, meet new storybook character
North Pole Ninja of North Pole Ninjas: MISSION: Christmas! East meets North in North
Pole Ninjas, a yuletide call-to-arms to save the spirit of Christmas

2:00pm - 4:00pm - Bob and Dave Band
Starbucks Cafe Live Music
Bob and Dave each bring over 40 years of experience with a wide range of music. Their
sweet spot is music from the 50s, 60s and 70s. They have developed their own style
employing unique arrangements and a personal touch to each song.

2:00pm - 4:00pm - Robert Pizzo, Author Meet & Greet – Amazing Animal
Alphabet of Twenty Six Tongue Twisters (Children’s Book)
Also available in Puzzles, Flash Cards, Sticker Books plus NEW coloring book.

Go ahead - just try it! See if you can make it through Robert Pizzo's Amazing Animal Alphabet
without taking time to untie your tongue twice or thrice! Pizzo has assembled an
assortment of sticky syllables into twenty-six tiny, tongue-twisting tales, one for every
letter of the alphabet.

3:00pm -5:00pm - Camille Aubray, Book Talk & Signing - Cooking for Picasso
(Adult Novel)
2nd floor PowerPoint presentation
“This touching and delectable novel invokes the breathtaking scenery of the South of
France and the Côte d’Azur. . . Inspired by Picasso’s works from that time period
depicting an unknown young woman, Aubray paints a beautiful story of love, art, food
and the enduring romance of the Mediterranean.” — FODOR’S TRAVEL

4:00pm - 6:00pm - Stephanie Kate Strohm, Author Meet & Greet -It's Not Me,
It’s You (Young Adult)
1st floor
Avery is blonde, popular, athletic, and smart. So is her boyfriend, who dumps her
before their senior prom. Since Avery has always been the one to end relationships, she
wants to interview her ex-boyfriends and figure out how such a horrible thing could
have happened to her. Stephanie Kate Strohm is the author of Pilgrims Don’t Wear
Pink, Confederates Don’t Wear Couture, and The Taming of the Drew.

Sunday,  Dec 11
11:00am - 1:00pm - Elaine Kuzmeskus, Book Talk & Readings Connecticut in
the Golden Age of Spiritualism (Local History)
2nd floor
In the aftermath of the Civil War, distraught Conn residents turned to Spiritualism as a
means of connecting with their lost loved ones. Elaine Kuzmeskus, M.S., director of the
New England School of Metaphysics, is the author of seven books on the occult,
including Connecticut Ghosts, The Art of Mediumship and The Medium Who Baffled
Houdini.

12:00pm - 2:00pm - Jim Magrath, Flutist
Starbucks Café Live Music
Performing a variety of classical, traditional and Holiday favorites,
Jim has studied under principle players from various philharmonics and orchestras.

12:00pm - 2:00pm – Lucas, the Stag Mascot, returns to meet & greet fans of
all ages!

12:00pm-2:00pm – Ben Applebaum & Dan DiSorbo, Co-Author Meet & Greet –
The Fart Tootorial, Beer Awesomeness, Recess
(Humor)
1st floor
Ben Applebaum and Dan DiSorbo are the co-authors and illustrators of several seriously
foolish books.

1:00pm - 2:00pm - Story Hour with Clare Pernice “Words and Pictures
Workshop”
Kids Area 2nd floor
Children’s author/illustrator Clare Pernice will read her new children’s book, Circus Girl
followed by an interactive approach to learning character development. Children can
come up with traits for their imaginary characters and sketch them out with the author.
Perfect for ages 3 & up. Please sign up in advance in Kids!

1:00pm - 3:00pm - Allia Zobel Nolan, Author Meet & Greet -Angels in the Bible
Storybook, and Whatever is Lovely: A 90 Day Devotional. (Children’s Religion)
1st floor
Where were the angels when God created the world? Why did an angel force a donkey
off a road? Who did the angels get out of jail twice? Young readers will find answers to
these and other questions in this exciting storybook.

2:00pm - 4:00pm - Entree Nous 2017 with creator Elizabeth Menke (Local
Interest)
1st floor
Entrée Nous 2017—a beautiful hardcover that doubles as an invitation to dine at twelve
of Fairfield County’s most beloved restaurants, includes a pictorial essay of the select
restaurants and chefs. Entrée Nous allows diners to bring the book along when dining
out and receive a complimentary entrée.

2:00pm - 4:00pm - Saugatuck Digital Arts Workshop, Interactive Music &
Animation Demonstration
2nd floor large screen
SDAW provides artists, creative professionals and students access to a digital arts
studio equipped with an immensely powerful toolbox of digital arts software — tools
that are easy-to-learn, and are accessible to anyone with a personal computer or smart
device. Offering hands-on workshops in photography, film/video, animation, motion
graphics, digital sound and more.

3:00pm-4:00pm – The Rough Drafts
Starbucks Live Music
HP Newquist, guitar/vocals, is an award-winning author and Jay Cosgrove,
vocals/percussion, is the sales director at Yale University Press. When the two of them
aren’t working on their publishing endeavors, they are playing the music that you grew
up listening to.

3:00pm - 5:00pm - Phil Trager, Photographer Meet & Greet, New York in the
1970s and Photographing Ina (Photography)
1st floor
New York in the 1970s - Newly rediscovered photographs by Philip Trager are brought
together in this new monograph to reveal a majestic city, shot in black-and-white.
In Photographing Ina, Philip Trager, renowned for his black-and-white images,
embraces color for the first time. His images are as much about the act of
photographing, perception, color and light, as they are about his subject, his wife Ina,
whose presence is a constant and unifying motif.

We hope to see you there!

The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ÊÓƵÎÞÏÞÖƹۿ´ Bookstore hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.