The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, a neighborhood hub in Acton known for its welcoming shelves of adult and children’s titles as well as its lively calendar of author events, has just received the Independent Spirit Award from the New England Independent Booksellers Association. Chosen by the Book Publisher Representatives of New England — those who visit and support bookstores across the region — the award recognizes not only excellence in bookselling, but also deep engagement with community and industry.
I sat down with owner and operator Paul Swydan to talk about what this honor means, how the store has become such a vibrant part of Acton, and what’s ahead for The Silver Unicorn.
On winning the award
Greg Jarboe for the Acton Exchange (GJ): This award is given by the Book Publisher Representatives of New England — what does it mean to be recognized by the very people who visit bookstores across the region?
Paul Swydan (PS): It is a huge honor to be recognized by our sales reps. We don’t even get seen by all the sales reps who vote, which means the reps who did stump for us had to make the case to those who don’t, and often those are reps who see stores in a different part of the region altogether.
On community and mission
GJ: The judges praised your commitment to the community. How do you see the bookstore’s role in Acton and the surrounding towns?
PS: We see ourselves as partners with our community. We are a donation spot for Acton Food Pantry, and we support as many schools, libraries, and non-profits as possible here in our community. We firmly believe in the concept of supporting the people who support you.
GJ: How have your staff contributed to making the bookstore such a vibrant hub?
PS: The first priority of anyone on staff is to make sure they greet people as they come in the store and engage them in conversation. In this way, we get to know many of our customers, which makes for a really fun and vibrant environment.
On Events & Programs
GJ: You host 20+ book fairs a year and numerous off-site events. What impact do you see these having on young readers and local schools?
PS: Book fairs are incredibly important because it is often the only time that children get to choose their own books, and so it is a win-win. It’s a win because they get to generate their own excitement for reading, and it’s a win for us because we get to see what books kids really want, and stock our shelves accordingly.
GJ: Can you share a favorite moment from one of your author events or community programs?
PS: There are so many that it really isn’t fair to single one out, but as a big Celtics fan, meeting Jayson Tatum last year was pretty incredible for me on a personal level!
On bookselling and industry
GJ: What’s the biggest challenge independent bookstores face right now, and how do you see Silver Unicorn navigating that?
PS: The biggest challenge hasn’t changed one iota in my eight years as a bookseller — it’s Amazon. The way we navigate it is the way we’ve been navigating it for the past 10-15 years. Once indie bookstores stopped competing on price and started emphasizing the things that make us special — our curation and community — we started our comeback to prominence. That will only continue if we maintain the course.
Looking ahead
GJ: Are there any new programs, festivals, or events you’re excited about in the coming year?
PS: We are embarking on a new event and program this fall centered around children’s book awards — the Caldecott Medal and the Newbery Medal. We’ll be curating sets of books that schools and educators can order based on these awards, and we’ll be hosting an event called Mock Awards Night. We’ll be holding it on October 16 at the Gallery at Villageworks, in partnership with both West Acton Villageworks and True West Brewery. Tickets will be $20, and a portion will be donated to charity. We’ll have more details on it very shortly!
Greg Jarboe writes for the Acton Exchange on many topics, and is the Council on Aging beat reporter.