Secret World Books, a new and used bookstore and hobby shop, is scheduled to open at 1774 2nd Street, Highland Park, Ill., on Independent Bookstore Day. The Record reported that co-owners Gayle and Michael Brandeis named the store after a story she wrote, "The Secret World," while a student at Lincoln Elementary School in Evanston.
"Secret World is meaningful in that way," Gayle Brandeis said. "And I also feel that each book holds a secret world inside of it and each person holds a secret world. And the store can be a place to explore those secret worlds."
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| Secret World Books in progress. | |
She called the bookstore a dream come true--though she didn't think the dream would be realized so soon, noting: "The opportunity arose out of the blue. The perfect space opened up in downtown Highland Park. The dream is coming true way earlier than we could have anticipated. Our intentions were for down the road, but we are really excited."
An essayist, poet and educator who released her first novel, Self Storage (Ballantine), in 2007, Brandeis has published eight more books, including her latest work, Drawing Breath: Essays on Writing, the Body, and Loss (Overcup Press).
The co-owners moved to Highland Park in 2022. Michael Brandeis had begun collecting comics for an eventual retail venture, but the couple jumped at the opportunity when 1774 2nd St. opened up.
Gayle Brandeis noted that they loved the built-in bookshelves and the building's mid-century style, adding: "The store feels like it could be annexed to our house. It's even the same stone. It feels like it was meant to be in that way."
She said Secret World's inventory will likely be used books to start, while they acquire new titles (the store is currently selling through Bookshop.org). The books "will lean literary in style with a focus on diverse and underrepresented voices and small presses, as well as products from local authors and artisans," Brandeis said.
They will have a comics and hobby section, including tabletop games, headed by Michael Brandeis. Secret World will also host community events, including writing workshops, book clubs, and gaming nights.