This week marks a number of milestones: 40 years for Town House Books in Aurora, Ill.; 30 for Quail Ridge Books & Music in Asheville, N.C., and 10 for both On the Road Books in Waynesboro, Pa., and Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts in Berkeley, Calif.

Simon & Schuster is the latest publisher to add expedited shipping for indies this holiday season. It is teaming up with Baker & Taylor on West Coast reorders. Also for booksellers, the American Booksellers Association is providing materials to educate customers about how they can get checks for any money owed them in the Apple e-Book Settlement—and spend it at their local independent.

This Weekend
Quail Ridge Celebrates 30 Years: On Sunday area authors and store friends, including ABA CEO Oren Teicher, will mark the Raleigh, N.C., bookstore’s first three decades and pay tribute to founder Nancy Olson.

Changing Hands
New Owners for Best of Books: After 23 years Julie Hovis and Kathy Kinasewitz are retiring from running the Edmond, Okla., indie, which has been sold to Elena Hight and her parents, Joe and Nan Hight.

Rebounding
El Paso Children’s Store Bounces Back after Floods: The Books Are GEMS bookstore and library, which provides free books to low-income children, hopes to reopen this week after flooding caused its roof to cave in.

Kudos
North Central College Honors Becky Anderson: The co-owner of Anderson’s Bookshops in Naperville, Ill., a PW Bookstore of the Year, will receive an outstanding alumni award later this month at the school’s Homecoming Reunion Celebration.

Vroman’s Named Best Bookstore in LA: The 120-year-old bookstore took top honors as a reader favorite of L.A. Parent.

Town House Books Marks First 40 Years: The Aurora, Ill., bookstore and 45-seat café is celebrating its first four decades—22 years under owner David Hunt.

Wild Detective Named “Best New Thing” in Dallas: The Dallas Observer awarded the new bookstore the honor for “[satisfying] both our gastronomy and literary cravings, which is saying quite a lot. “

10th Anniversary of Waynesboro Store: On the Road Books, which specializes in collectible books, including hunting and fishing books dating back to the 18th century, as well as vinyl, is celebrating its first decade.

Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts Turns 10: The Berkeley, Calif., bookstore founded by friends Marion Abbott and Ann Leyhe is celebrating its first decade this month.

Bookseller Opportunities
Faster Shipping from S&S: Following announcements from Harper and Random House for expedited shipping, Simon & Schuster is announcing plans of its own. Earlier this week it began working with Baker & Taylor to offer expedited shipping on reorders to West Coast independent booksellers from through March 2015.

Using the Apple E-Book Settlement: Under the terms of the $400 million settlement, consumers can opt to receive a check instead of a credit from the retailer where they bought the e-book. The ABA has prepared materials to alert consumers that they can spend that money at their local, independent bookstore.

Closings
Final Chapter for the Paper Peddler in Avalon: Changing vacation habits coupled with online discounting are forcing this long-time Jersey Shore bookstore to close on Sunday.

Yellowed Pages Turns Last Page: The Lincoln, Neb.-based used bookstore, which specializes in rare and out-of-print books and has a large collection of Westerns, will close in November.

Oldest Store in the Twin Cities to Close: The Bookcase in Wayzata, Minn., will close later this month after more than 50 years in business.