Neighborhood Reads bookstore will open this summer in Washington, Mo., "and local readers may not be surprised by who is behind the project," the Missourian reported. Dawn Kitchell, educational services director for the newspaper, "has made her life's mission to promote reading. She has been working with newspapers and schools for 30 years." In addition, she has promoted books through the Missourian's Book Buzz youth literacy project, which she co-created in 2003.
Kitchell said she has always felt there was a missed opportunity in the community for a bookstore, and began researching small indies about a year ago, finding encouragement at every turn. "In any other community, I might not be as optimistic--it will take a lot to get a bookstore off the ground--but my work with families and educators convinced me our community needs a bookstore," she said. "I wanted a name that shared our mission--the goal, as always, is to keep reading a community priority."
Kitchell and her husband, Eric, have purchased a historic house at 401 Lafayette St. and are planning "some renovations on the 118-year-old structure, including adding on about 300 square feet for a meeting space," the Missourian wrote.
She plans to continue her work with the newspaper: "We recommend a lot of great books in the Missourian. Now, we'll be able to offer readers a place, in addition to the local libraries, to seek out those titles and others like them. It takes a bookstore to attract authors on book tours--now we'll have that."
Kitchell also noted: "We have a group of volunteers helping guide us in getting the doors open. And we're already interacting with the community on our website, neighborhoodreads.com, and through Facebook and Instagram. We're trying to build excitement and learn from readers what they hope this bookstore will be."