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FIND WALDO IN The Shops at Reynolds Village in North Asheville!
Elusive Book Character Creates Summertime Fun to Support the Shop Local Movement
Where’s Waldo? In Reynolds Village, of course. For the whole month of July, the famous children’s book character in the striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting businesses in Reynolds Village, the new mixed-use development in North Asheville that’s home to Spellbound Children’s Bookshop, the Woodfin YMCA, Thirsty Monk North, and more great local businesses. Those who spot him can win prizes, including stickers, gift certificates, a deluxe book set, a free World’s Best Carrot Cake, and a free month of kickboxing classes to work off those calories!
Cardboard Waldo figures will be well hidden in a dozen participating local businesses, all located along North Merrimon Avenue in the Reynolds Village development. Find Waldo is a great summer vacation activity, and a wonderful way for residents to support local business and the Shop Local movement, as well as a chance to discover all the new offerings in The Shops at Reynolds Village.
Anyone who wishes to participate can pick up a “Find Waldo Local in Reynolds Village!” passport at Spellbound Children’s Bookshop. Passports list the names of all the participating sites; get your passport stamped or signed for each Waldo you spot. Bring your passport back to Spellbound to collect prizes. Collecting store stamps or signatures at ten or more businesses will entitle diligent seekers to enter in a grand prize drawing at 6:00pm on Friday, August 1st, with the top prize being a gift package including a 6-volume deluxe set of Waldo books and gifts from participating businesses.
Where’s Waldo is the creation of Martin Handford, whose entertaining drawings of crowd scenes swept the world in the late eighties. Since then, the Where’s Waldo books have held a cherished spot on bookstore shelves the world over. There are now over 61 million Waldo books in print worldwide and they’ve been translated into over 30 languages. An entire generation has grown up searching for Waldo and his cast of wandering companions.
In celebration of Waldo’s longevity and popularity, his American publisher, Candlewick Press, is once again teaming up with the American Booksellers Association and 250 independent bookstores all across the country, including Spellbound Children’s Bookshop here in Asheville, for some hide and seek fun as well as to encourage communities to patronize their local businesses. There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts for the entire month of July. For more information about hunting for Waldo in Reynolds Village, call Spellbound at 828-708-7570.
