'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' author Jeff Kinney says he will open a bookstore

Jeff Kinney says he plans to open a bookstore in his town of Plainville, Mass., aimed at breaking even within five years.

Jeff Kinney, author and illustrator of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, is reportedly about to add another title to his list of jobs: bookstore owner.

Kinney talked about his plans to open a store in his town of Plainville, Mass. with the Boston Globe last fall, saying that he and his wife had purchased property and were set to construct a three-story structure there. He and his wife had also participated in a two-day course on running a bookstore.

“We understand that we’ll have to become a destination location in order to create a viable business,” Kinney told the Globe at the time. “We’re currently looking at ways to do that, and if we feel confident that we can get to a break-even state over five years, we’ll go forward with the plan.”

It looks as though things are still going well – according to industry newsletter Shelf Awareness, Kinney talked about his bookstore idea at Book Expo America last week.

The author’s new installment in the “Wimpy Kid” series, titled “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul,” is set to be released this November.

Kinney joins a group of authors/bookstore owners that includes “Lonesome Dove” writer Larry McMurtry, whose store Booked Up is located in Archer, Tex., and “State of Wonder” author Ann Patchett, whose location Parnassus Books is in Nashville, Tenn.