LEXINGTON (November 7, 2006)—Half Price Books, one of the nation's largest new and used bookstore chains and a dedicated supporter of national literacy projects and environmental issues, will open a store in Lexington on November 9. The Grand Opening kicks off at 4 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Vanessa Sandford from the Lexington Chamber of Commerce.

The new store, which is located at 2321 Sir Barton Way, in Lexington, occupies nearly 10,000 square feet. The store hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

On behalf of the Mayor's Office, Vanessa Sandford will be the first in Lexington to sign Half Price Books' Bedtime Storybook Reading Pledge, which will then hang in the Half Price Books store for customers to sign. The pledge was created in celebration of incorporating reading into children's bedtime routine. The pledge reads: "I promise to read at least 15 minutes a day. I promise to share with others about what I learn. I know the more I read the better reader I will become."

Half Price Books will donate $1 per signature to Reach Out and Read (ROR), an organization that encourages early literacy skills by providing books to young children (6 mo.-5 yrs.) at every well child check-up.

Half Price Books has supported Feed the Children for several years by donating books that accompany food drops all over the world. Feed the Children will be at the Grand Opening ceremony to present Half Price Books with an award recognizing the donation of its three millionth book.

"Our stores are unique in that we offer a different inventory than other major retail bookstores," said Sharon Anderson Wright, president and CEO of Half Price Books. "There will be something different every time you come in, and since the public can sell their books directly to us, many items simply aren't available in other bookstores."