Books & Books flagship store in Coral Gables came first, followed by Miami Beach in 1989, and then a 2,000-square-foot boutique located inside the famed Bal Harbour Shops. Born in April 2005, today’s version of our store is recently-expanded, now located on the second level of the gorgeous, open-air mall, near Neiman-Marcus.
Founded by owner/developer Stanley Whitman in 1965, Bal Harbour Shops was the first mall location for many famed merchants such as Gucci, Cartier and Bulgari. The “Shopping Hall of Fame” now houses 100 world-class boutiques and flagship stores — including Books & Books. Here, inside what is now ranked #1 on the list of the 15 top shopping centers in the nation by sales per square foot, Books & Books maintains the same down-to-earth, independently-owned spirit that drives every one of its stores. Yes, you may spot a celebrity or two shopping our shelves, but they get the same kind of treatment as any of our other customers.
Style and Substance
The stylish destination of Bal Harbour has selected visual artist George Sánchez-Calderón to be the winner of its first public art commission, “Unscripted,” coming to fruition this October. Created to support and challenge the artistic talents in South Florida, the “Unscripted” project is the first of an ongoing series of commissions geared toward providing artists with a new platform to create an ambitious project and contribute to the growth of Bal Harbour as a creative destination. Sánchez-Calderón’s winning public art project, entitled “Pax Americana,” draws inspiration from Bal Harbour Village’s history, by reflecting upon the iconography that has collectively defined the archetype of “the American Dream.” Positioned in front of the new St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, where the Americana Hotel previously stood, Sánchez-Calderón will create a six-foot tall, stainless steel letter installation of the word “Americana,” in reference to this historical site. Many important political events and national conventions were held at the notorious hotel designed by Morris Lapidus, which over the years hosted Presidents Kennedy, Nixon, Johnson, Reagan and Clinton—an apt reference leading up to this year’s presidential election.
The Proust Questionnaire: For Booksellers
TONE BLEVINS is based at our Bal Harbour Shops location. A longtime employee, she’s a quiet presence who worked for years at our Lincoln Road location before transferring to Bal Harbour Shops. Tone is a force to be reckoned with, a humble, anti-celebrity, who exudes grace and elegance in the midst of her luxurious surroundings. Notice her answers below — curt and sweet — they stem from a mind that is far-reaching and dynamic. Engage with her in conversation next time you visit the store and you will find yourself talking books with a true connoisseur.
Some Kind of Peace, another cool, Scandanavian thriller!
What was the last truly great book you read?
Out Stealing Horses = truly great
Wolf Hall = mildly great
What book had the greatest impact on you?
If pushed (and that’s a really, really big push), I’d have to say Waiting for the Barbarians by Coetze.
Meet: ANNIE FALK, discussing, offering a demonstration from, and signing Palm Beach Entertaining (Rizzoli, $45).
Pre-order here >
As a luxurious retreat with a storied past, Palm Beach has become renowned for its grand parties. Now, more than twenty of its most celebrated hosts open their doors, revealing secrets for entertaining along with one hundred of their most tried-and-true recipes. Among the illustrious hosts featured are fashion icon Arnold Scaasi, Spanish aristocrat Victoria Amory, and interior designer Celerie Kemble. Included are tips for setting a personalized table, creating a warm mood, and choosing crowd-pleasing dishes. Get a rare peek into the glamorous world behind the hedges of some of America’s most luxurious private estates. And it is all done in the spirit of giving—the net proceeds from the book benefit the Children’s Home Society, a charitable organization with a proven network of adoption, early childhood development, and family support services.
Meet: Zane, autographing Z-Rated Chocolate Flava III (Atria, $16).
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With the publication of The Sex Chronicles and Addicted, Zane became a legend in her own time and an author whose name became synonymous with erotic fiction. With her raw and uninhibited style, Zane pushes sexual boundaries that appeal to both women and men alike with her inimitable mix of urban slang and unadulterated sensuality. Edgy, adventurous and brimming with lustful desire, the stories in Z-RATED were selected and edited by Zane personally for the collection. Through a combination of fast-paced plotlines and old-school raunchiness, the reader is taken on a sexy romp that both tantalizes and satisfies.
Meet: STACY LONDON, discussing and signing The Truth About Style (Viking, $32.95).
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The hilarious, beloved cohost of TLC’s What Not to Wear examines the universal obstacles all women—including herself—put in their way. With her unique talent for seeing past disastrous wardrobes to the core emotional issues that caused these sartorial crises, style savant London has transformed not only the looks but also the lives of hundreds of guests who have appeared on What Not to Wear. Tonight, London shares her own often painful history and her philosophy of the healing power of personal style—illustrating it with a series of detailed “start-overs” with eight real women, demonstrating how personal style helps them overcome the emotional obstacles we all face. This event is presented in collaboration with Neiman-Marcus and will take place on the second level of Neiman-Marcus in the Fine Apparel department. Refreshments will be served.
Meet: LAUREN CONRAD, autographing her two new books, Lauren Conrad Beauty (HarperCollins, $21.99) and Starstruck (HarperCollins, $18.99).
Pre-order Beauty here >
Pre-order Starstruck here >
Lauren Conrad is the star of MTV’s #1 hit show, The Hills. She launched her career as a fashion designer in Spring 2008 with the debut of the Lauren Conrad Collection. Lauren has been featured on the covers of Cosmopolitan, Rolling Stone, Seventeen, and Entertainment Weekly, among others. Whether she’s in front of the camera or behind the scenes, this style icon has spent years learning from the pros and perfecting her look, and now she’s sharing all her beauty secrets.
Tickets required: You must purchase a copy of Starstruck (Harper, $18.99) or Lauren Conrad Beauty (Harper, $21.99) to enter the signing line.
Meet: The legendary BUNNY YEAGER, focus of Bunny Yeager’s Darkroom (Rizzoli, $60).
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The only woman pin-up photographer of her day, Bunny Yeager was also a model in her own right. After winning several beauty pageants in Miami, Yeager went to photography school, and in 1955, she hit the jackpot with her shot of Bettie Page scantily clad in a Santa hat, which sold instantly to the fledgling Playboy magazine. Bunny Yeager’s Darkroom by Petra Mason, with a forward by the “Queen of Burlesque” Dita Von Teese, gathers more than a hundred lens-fogging photographs embodying the naughty girl-next-door eroticism of pin-up culture. Yeager’s pioneering self-portraits and excerpts from her charming 1960s how-to manuals are featured alongside dozens of wholesome beauties shot in the studio and on location.
We Recommend…
Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 10, as Bal Harbour Shops proudly partners with The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis for DESTINATION FASHION, the chicest fashion soiree to rock Bal Harbour! This star-studded fundraiser, produced by famed event designer Barton G., will attract over 2,000 VIP guests as the fashion center is transformed into a fabulous progressive dinner party. Tom Brokaw will be the Master of Ceremonies with Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones and his wife Dawn Jones, plus international Polo sensation Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras and his wife Delfina Blaquier serving as Honorary Chairs. The evening’s festivities will commence with a megawatt fashion show under the stars and conclude with celebrity concert performances by Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull. Proceeds will benefit The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis which is the world’s largest and most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center. Contact: Stephanie Sayfie Aagaard at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at 305-243-4656 or saagaard@miami.edu for tickets and more information.