Courtesy of Paz & Associates, herewith a "bookstore birth announcement":
Book Vault, a general independent bookstore, opened last month in a renovated historic bank building in Oskaloosa, Iowa, about 65 miles southeast of Des Moines. The owners are Nancy Simpson, retired director of the Oskaloosa Public Library, and Julie Hansen, director of the William Penn University Library. Monica Becker is the store manager.
The 2,500-sq.-ft. store has 13,500 titles and offers author signings, children's events, cooking demonstrations and home improvement "how-to" workshops in cooperation with other downtown businesses. Customers can walk through the neighboring coffee shop, Smokey Row.
Each of the three vaults house a specific collection: Iowa; discovery; and mystery/true crime/horror. The store also carries sidelines such as greeting cards, gourmet kitchen utensils, food mixes and dishware, art prints and handcrafted jewelry.
Conceived by the owners, the renovation included the preservation of such architectural elements as the marble walls, stained glass skylights and original vaults. A demonstration kitchen and computer stations were added during the renovation.
Book Vault is located at 105 S. Market St., Oskaloosa, Iowa 52577; 641-676-1777; www.bookvault.org.
Book Vault, a general independent bookstore, opened last month in a renovated historic bank building in Oskaloosa, Iowa, about 65 miles southeast of Des Moines. The owners are Nancy Simpson, retired director of the Oskaloosa Public Library, and Julie Hansen, director of the William Penn University Library. Monica Becker is the store manager.
The 2,500-sq.-ft. store has 13,500 titles and offers author signings, children's events, cooking demonstrations and home improvement "how-to" workshops in cooperation with other downtown businesses. Customers can walk through the neighboring coffee shop, Smokey Row.
Each of the three vaults house a specific collection: Iowa; discovery; and mystery/true crime/horror. The store also carries sidelines such as greeting cards, gourmet kitchen utensils, food mixes and dishware, art prints and handcrafted jewelry.
Conceived by the owners, the renovation included the preservation of such architectural elements as the marble walls, stained glass skylights and original vaults. A demonstration kitchen and computer stations were added during the renovation.
Book Vault is located at 105 S. Market St., Oskaloosa, Iowa 52577; 641-676-1777; www.bookvault.org.