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After 34 years, Warwick's head book buyer retires

People walk past Warwick's bookstore in La Jolla, May 15, 2021.
Alexander Nguyen
People walk past Warwick's bookstore in La Jolla, May 15, 2021.

Local, independent bookstores have withstood a lot of change the last few decades. In the 1980s it was shopping malls that drew people away from downtown shops. Then the rise and fall of big chains like Borders. But Warwick's, which describes itself as the country's oldest continuously family-owned & operated bookstore, has endured.

Adrian Newell, who retired last week after 34 years as Warwick's head book buyer, had a front row seat to all of that change. Her tenure at Warwick's was during an especially tumultuous time for the industry, including Amazon plucking away customers, and the age of e-books.

Newell joined Midday Edition Wednesday to talk about her long career and share some favorite books.