Over 300 Bookworms Form Human Chain to Move a Michigan Bookstore — One Book at a Time
No forklifts, no movers, no chaos — just 300+ book lovers and a whole lot of heart.
This past Sunday in Chelsea, Michigan, just outside of Ann Arbor, a small-town miracle unfolded. Serendipity Books, a beloved independent bookstore, needed to move just around the corner into a bigger location. But instead of shutting down shop for days and hauling books box by box, the community showed up — in a big way.
More than 300 people formed a human chain, passing books one at a time down the street like a literary bucket brigade. It wasn’t just efficient — it was downright poetic.
In under two hours, the volunteers moved over 9,000 books from the old location to the new one. Even more impressive? They managed to keep the books in alphabetical order the entire time. That’s organization on another level — and probably every librarian’s dream.
Store owner Megan Koglin said the DIY approach was a game-changer. Without the community’s help, she would’ve had to close for several days, a costly pause for any small business. Instead, the store barely missed a beat — and gained a local legend in the process.
The whole thing felt like a scene out of a feel-good movie: neighbors of all ages smiling, laughing, and passing books with care. It wasn’t just about moving shelves — it was about moving forward together.
In a time when so many indie bookstores are struggling to stay afloat, Serendipity Books just proved that with enough community love, anything is possible — even moving a mountain of literature, one gentle handoff at a time.
