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Chamber celebrates relocation of MacIntosh

By CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2 min read
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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce representatives join MacIntosh Books and Paper staff for a ribbon cutting at its new Village Shops location.

In April, MacIntosh Books and Paper moved from its Palm Ridge Road location to a new storefront in the Village Shops, at 2340 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce helped celebrate the occasion with a ribbon cutting at the new site on Aug. 5.

A Sanibel tradition since 1960, MacIntosh first opened on Periwinkle Way near the causeway and served as a center of information and reading materials for visitors arriving to the islands. The original owner and avid birder, William “Mac” MacIntosh, later moved the store farther west on Periwinkle. Through a series of owners and other locations, it retained its reputation for local authors and books, great beach reads and top-sellers.

In 2017, current owner Rebecca Binkowski purchased it at a different Periwinkle Way location after working as a manager for six years for then-owner Susie Holly.

“We have a legacy of great customer service, great recommendations and, really, being a sacred communal space for people,” she said. “What worked in 1960 still works today, and our customers appreciate our knowledge and care. I always say it takes a village and now we’re in the Village Shops, which is such a lovely mix of small, hands-on business owners, who, like me, want to offer their customers the best of the best and an experience they won’t soon forget.”

Besides selling books of a local nature and wider scope, plus distinctive stationery products and gifts, MacIntosh hosts monthly book clubs and author appearances.

“We congratulate Rebecca and her team on their progression to a beautiful, welcoming spot that furthers the islands’ cultural and retail acumen,” chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai said. “MacIntosh is a locally owned island institution that we are happy to see thrive in this climate of big-box and online bookstores.”

“I’m so happy to be part of the chamber and appreciate all that they do to support the island community,” Binkowski said. “Sanibel is such a special place, as you already know, and the good folks at the chamber are so helpful in supporting our specific concerns and causes to Sanibelians and beyond. I’m really looking forward to getting more involved in the coming years.”

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