Bent Oak Books opens today at 619 Seventh St. Fort Madison, Iowa, in a two-story brick building constructed around 1883. Owner Danette Baier, who is putting some finishing touches on the shop, told the Daily Democrat that the idea to open a bookstore stemmed from her experiences as a teenager.
"My very first job was at a downtown ice cream store here in Fort Madison," she said. "What I would say is my desire to own a bookstore stemmed from my desire to have a small family-owned business, specifically downtown Fort Madison."
Noting that she grew up babysitting for families who had businesses in the downtown area, she added: "In both of those scenarios, the families lived above their little family business, and I was really drawn to that, seeing these small downtown district businesses and regulars coming in each day."
Although the space is only about 650 square feet, the bookshop features shelves filled with new and used books for all ages, some family games, as well as seating areas and a coffee bar. "There's not an enormous amount of inventory, but I've tried to really put some thought into what we were carrying," Baier said. "My goal is people will take a minute to look at what they want, grab a cup of coffee or tea; I have some cool drinks in the cooler over there; and take their time. I hope people feel welcome."
Noting that the venture is going to be a learning experience for she anticipates people letting her know what they're hoping to see in a bookstore: "I'm very open to suggestions," she said. "So if somebody comes in and notices I don't have a lot of one particular topic or genre or author, I'm taking ideas. I'm going to have a little notebook and keep track of suggestions, so when I do put my orders in, I'll try to include what everyone's looking for, hopefully."