Rooted Books & Gifts - Grand Island, NE

Rooted Books & Gifts, Grand Island, NE

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For most people, Grand Island, NE is not a destination.  Located in the middle of rural Nebraska on Interstate 80 with a population of approximately 50,000 makes it a giant among its neighboring communities.  So Grand Island is simply a town you drive by when traveling east or west through the Midwest.  However, I suggest you consider making it a destination or make it a stop on your way elsewhere.  Excellent coffee shops, restaurants and cafes, a vibrant Hispanic community, and an outstanding independent bookstore with a very engaging and spunky owner that will guarantee a memorable bookstore experience.  

Rooted Books & Gifts has been open for about two years, located just off 3rd St. in downtown Grand Island.  This excellent location allows for easy foot traffic and easy on-street parking as well as nearby free public parking lots.  The store offers all new books and a wide variety of sidelines which are an important part of their business margin.  But I was happy to hear from owner Danielle that the books do extremely well on their own.  You’ll find many unique greeting cards, socks, candles, and stickers but the fidget/clicker gadgets (ask a kid) are selling very well.  If you can't visit the store in person, you can always support it by purchasing online through bookshop.org.  Already in two short years, the store has a very devoted core of regulars and as one of them told Danielle, she comes in once a week and buys something because they want to keep them in the community.  If you’re a regular, be sure to join the loyalty program.  Given their short existence, I’m happy to hear that things are going very well.  

Danielle has done a great job of offering off-site and pop-up events to expand the store’s outreach and generate additional revenue.  The night of my visit the store was offering a “boozy book fair.”  Previously, these have been a huge success.  They have a story time for children and every other one is held in Spanish to support the strong Hispanic community.  Inclusiveness is a hallmark of most independent bookstores, way to go Danielle.  Additionally, the store offers books in Spanish for these Grand Islanders.

Danielle and Rooted Books are hitting it out of the park in every way.  If you’re in the Grand Island area, don’t walk, RUN to this fantastic bookstore and enjoy a unique independent bookstore experience.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED:  Up In The Old Hotel, Joseph Mitchell.  The author was a frequent contributor to the New Yorker in the mid 1900s and this is a collection of his stories about characters, misfits, oddballs, and savants living on the fringe in NYC in the 1930s-1940s.  

CURRENTLY READING:  Dock Ellis in The Country of Baseball, Donald Hall with Dock Ellis.  

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  The Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vuong.  HR-Approved Ways to Tell  Coworkers They're Dumb, Jaycob Paldro.

Don't let this unassuming storefront fool you.

Buy your book, go outside, enjoy a nice day, and read.  

View looking to the right from the front entrance.  

You can find the most unique socks in many bookstores.  If you see it and you like it, GET IT.  It will be hard to find anywhere else.  

Bella on guard at the front door and waiting to welcome the next customer.  Precious as the picture.  

Bella is the best bookstore ambassador and will enthusiastically welcome you.  As Danielle told me, some people stop in just to see Bella.  

A few of the greeting cards available.  

The perfect birthday card.  I love independent bookstores.  

Attractive table display of sidelines on the right side of the store.  

Books of local and regional interest and books in Spanish.  

The bookend in this picture is a folded vinyl record.  Interesting.  

Bookstore candles can be found in many bookstores.  

A few of the staff picks available.  

This is where Bella takes her breaks but is still close to the front door to greet you.    

Find this shelf and pick out a blind date with a book.  A fun promotion at many bookstores.  

Always ask your bookstore about gift cards.  

Bring your cash and save some money.  

The very popular fidget/clicker (ask a kid).  

Is it just me or does this look like Jim and Dwight? 

The perfect place to sit and try-out a book.  

The ideal place for two little readers.  

Looking into the children's section.  

Another angle of the children's section.  

Find this section of non-fiction on the other side of the children's area.  

Overview of the store looking from the back toward the front entrance.  

If you have friends who speak Spanish, tell them they can find books in Spanish here.  Also tell them about the story time for children held in Spanish.

Just a few of the sidelines at the checkout counter.  

My visit wore Bella out.  

With Danielle, the fine owner at Rooted Books & Gifts.  Thanks for a great visit.  

The Next Chapter - Omaha, NE

The Next Chapter, Omaha, NE

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This is a brand, spanking new indie, all of one month old.  Yet, it has quite a long and established history that has lead up to its birth.  Owner Shelly M. and her parents are long time bookstore owners and booksellers dating back over many years.  For 43 years, her parents owned Prairie Books & Gifts, in Hastings, NE.  The day came when that business closed leaving a void in the family's life.  But as so often happens in life, when one door closes another one opens.  The absence of a bookstore in the family is something Shelly had to act on and so she did.  I could tell when I met her that she had a pretty happy vibe beginning this next chapter of her life, replacing Prairie Books.  Fittingly, that's exactly what she named this new store.

One of the best things about Next Chapter is its location.  It's in the Farnum Hill District near downtown Omaha on the very busy Farnum St.  Right next door is the roomy and spacious Zen Coffeeshop and immediately across the street is a large Holiday Inn Express.  There's also another upscale hotel nearby.  Thanks to these hotels, travelers are already making it into the store.  Shelly is especially optimistic for the business when Omaha hosts the College World Series each summer, located very close to the store.  I'm also amazed that no matter how new the bookstore is that I visit, they already have regular customers.  Shelly has expressed how nice these customers are, something most other indie owners can vouch for.  Two of the regulars even purchased the store's Christmas tree.  Next Chapter is also attracting customers from nearby Creighton University, a base of customers I predict will grow over time.

This one-level newbie offers all new books and a variety of sidelines.  As with other indies, the sidelines will continue to evolve.  Journals, greeting cards, Husker swag, and games are just a few of those sidelines and so far the games have been selling well.  In time, the store will begin hosting author events.

Shelly was fantastic to meet and tell me about the store and its progress.  Thankfully, this excellent location has a reasonable lease making the future bright for this charming bookstore.

Ok Omaha, let's get the word out.  Time to hit a cute, new little bookstore that's sure to attract you back time and time again.

The marriage of a knowledgeable and experienced owner with a new bookstore is a can't miss.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED:  The Great Believers, Rebecca Makkai.  This book gets rave reviews and is a National Book Award winner.  Almost everyone loves it so take my comments with a grain of salt.  Story about the AIDS epidemic in Chicago and its impact on the gay community.  Story bounces between 1985 and 2015.  Clearly, a tragic chapter in social history.  For me, this book was a little dry and boring.  I thought the prose a bit lengthy, and for me, it dragged.

CURRENTLY READING:  Rotters, Daniel Kraus.

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  Calypso, David Sedaris.

Don't mind if I do!

View looking into the store from the front entrance and the welcoming smile of a proud owner.  

Coat rack inside the front door.  Hang up your coat and do some serious browsing.  

Display of new bestsellers and seasonal books, just to the left of the front entrance.  

Journals in a variety of sizes.  

Maybe get a bookmark for every book you buy?

Whoooo wants a book?

Some kid-oriented sidelines right in the middle of the store.  

Table display of holiday and party drink ideas.  

A few of the books of local and regional interest.  

A few of the greeting cards available.  

If you have a Husker fan in your family, come here for more gift ideas.  

An example of some of the unique greeting cards found in independent bookstores.  

Neatly organized wall of fiction and non-fiction, located on the right wall of the store.  

The store has a nice variety of sidelines.  

If you spend a lot of time traveling to bookstores, this is exactly the kind of thing that would come in handy.  

Great display of cooking books.  

Partial view of the children's section.  

Thank you Dr. Seuss.  

Overview of the store looking from the back toward the front entrance.  

The store is so new that they still have congratulatory plants and flowers throughout.  

A nice gift idea or stocking stuffer.  You'll find lots of super ideas at any independent bookstore.  

With Shelly, the fine owner at The Next Chapter.  Thanks for a great visit.