Reading in Public Opens in West Des Moines, Iowa

(photo: Teylor Kaneshiro)

Reading in Public Bookstore + Cafe is open for business in West Des Moines, Iowa, following a grand opening on January 14. Owner Linzi Murray, store manager Bethany Fast and their team carry books with a strong focus on social justice and diversity. 

There are books for children and adults in both Spanish and English, and Murray, who is a Chinese adoptee, reported that most of the store's front-facing books are by authors of color. She added that the bookstore is "very proudly Asian-owned," and noted that as far as she is aware, her store is one of the very few Asian-owned bookstores in the entire Midwest.

The bookstore's emphasis on social justice is also evident in the community partnerships it's formed. Even before the bricks-and-mortar store opened, Murray and the team had partnered with organizations such as the Iowa Abortion Access Fund and Pied Piper Studio, a children's music and movement studio in Urbandale, Iowa.

(photo: Teylor Kaneshiro)

In addition to books, Reading in Public carries a variety of sidelines for all ages, including stationery, greeting cards, puzzles and toys. The cafe side of the business, meanwhile, sells coffee sourced from a roaster in Kansas City called PT's Coffee, and Murray has partnered with local vegan bakery Thistle Summit. Pointing out that she's originally from New York City, Murray said she also has a partnership with a bakery called Five Borough Bagels, which makes New York-style bagels and was founded by former New Yorkers.

While Reading in Public has yet to schedule any events, Murray remarked that she plans to host "anything that really serves the community and the interests of the community." Along with author talks and book signings, Murray said she likes the idea of hosting less traditional events like yoga workshops and programs that raise environmental-awareness.

Murray had dreamed of owning a bookstore for a long time, though she had always thought of it as a "far-off dream" that would manifest later in life if at all. When her favorite bookstores were forced to close in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, she started a Bookstagram account so that she could continue connecting with other readers and discovering new authors and stories.

Before long she felt compelled to open a bookstore of her own, and she began planning for Reading in Public in July 2021, when she was still living in New York City. Having a cafe in the bookstore was part of the plan pretty much from the beginning, as was the bookstore's general location. Valley Junction, a historic neighborhood in West Des Moines with a tight-knit community of small businesses, was the "only place I wanted to be."

Murray and her husband moved to Des Moines in November 2021, and in early 2022 Murray started looking for spaces in Valley Junction in earnest. There wasn't much available at the time, but there were a few new buildings planned and she "got in that as fast as I possibly could." She signed the lease in February 2022 and had initially hoped to open the store over the summer. Due to some long construction delays, the opening was pushed back into 2023.

"People have been so excited and anticipating this for such a long time," Murray said. The enthusiasm has not been confined to West Des Moines: some of her Bookstagram followers have been telling her "they're going to travel to visit" now that the store is open. "There's been lots of support."--Alex Mutter

Powered by: Xtenit