Read's Newsstand and Cafe of Fredericton named MagsCan retailer of the year

Read's Newsstand and Cafe in Fredericton, New Brunswick, has been named Magazines Canada's retailer of the year for 2012.

The downtown Fredericton store is the flagship of the Read’s/United chain of stores, with other stores in Moncton, Riverview, St. John and Halifax and in addition to the best selection of magazines for miles around (including most Magazines Canada-distributed titles),  also sell books, have a healthy foods section and a full-service café with sandwiches and a patio on Main Street.

Jeff Magnusson, who co-owns the chain with John Devona and Mark Smith, has been managing the Fredericton store for nine years, he and Devona designed it when they moved from a location down the street in 2004.  

“Our idea at the time was to get away from the convenience store end—tobacco was getting trickier and we wanted to offer a different experience....We’re specialists and proud,” Magnusson says.

Read's joins a select club of other recent winners of the retailer of the year award, including Book City (Toronto Danforth), McNally Robinson (Winnipeg), Spruceland News (Prince George, B.C.), Mags & Fags (Ottawa) and Atlantic News (Halifax, NS).