It's official: after a moving article in The Daily News sparked a public outcry across Astoria -- including here on WLA -- Astoria's only bookstore (and only one of just five in the entire borough of Queens), Seaburn Books, has reopened to the public.

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We told you last month that the store decided to stay after the owner of the building where the bookstore resides staved off a rent increase that would have forced store owner Sam Chekwas to move the store to a barren section of Long Island City.

What a difference a month makes. Now, not only has the store reopened, but it boasts of a new community room and internet cafe. The renovations also make room for some great (and FREE) events as well. On the docket: 

Thursday, April 28th: Meet Shlomo Speer Author of The Black Book of Dating

Saturday, April 30th: Meet Haralambos Tsarouhas, author of Oliver's and Jason's Story
Thursday, May 5th: Meet Prodigy from Mobb Deep (Booksigning) 7:00pm
Saturday, May 14th: Meet George Onuorah, Author of The Political Diary of A Rising Son, 7:00pm
Fridays 7 to 9pm -  OPEN MIC NIGHT & POETRY READING

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Chekwas is also eager to return the love his community showed him by rallying behind his bookstore, and is opening up the store's community room to anyone who needs space to host an event -- from Book Club meetings, book signings/launchings and Children's book parties to video recordings, press conferences, play rehearsals and performances, and acoustic music concerts. If you're interested,be sure to email the store at seaburnbooks@gmail.com.