A beloved Michigan bookstore recently received a helping hand from the community when a human chain formed to pass its entire inventory from the store’s old location to the new one.

One wonders how many times a neighbor asked another whether they had “read this one?” or what drivers must have thought passing by the main drag in Chelsea where the store is located.

Serendipity Books and its owner Michelle Tuplin had a problem: it was moving day, and 9,100 books needed to be packed up and sorted in the new location. She faced the prospect of closing down for several days at least—never a good thing on the tight margins of a bookstore.

Taking to social media and putting out a call for volunteers among her many followers and customers, Tuplin received an overwhelming response, as 300 people showed up to lend a hand.

That’s when Tuplin came up with a novel idea: a human chain, or rather, two.

“It was just a joyful experience,” Donna Zak, one of the volunteers, told NBC News. “We were passing the books and noticing and commenting to each other, ‘Oh, have you read this one? I really enjoyed this one!’”

Fortunately for everyone involved, the new space was just 350 feet from the old one, and in just 2 hours, the entire collection had been moved and stocked—in alphabetical order no less.

“Grateful doesn’t even begin to express how we are feeling,” Serendipity Books posted on Instagram. “Thank you thank you thank you, we love you Chelsea!”

“People really consider independent bookstores theirs,” Tuplin said Tuesday. “It’s really a part of the community, and they have ownership.”

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The new store is more than twice the size of the old one, and will be celebrating its official opening on April 26th, America’s “Independent Bookstore Day.”

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A follower in the Instagram comments section suggested that the story of Michelle Tuplin and her “Book Brigade” deserved press coverage; we agree, but add that it may deserve more—someone should write a book about it.

SHARE This Darling Of A Community Coming Together For Books And Neighbors…