The Bookies bookstore, Denver, Colo., will reopen in its new location at 2085 S. Holly St. on April 27, Independent Bookstore Day, with a grand re-opening celebration. The bookstore has been closed since December 24, 2023, while completing a remodel of the new location.
The Bookies was founded in 1971 by the late Sue Lubeck, who died in 2021. Ryan and Nicole Sullivan purchased the bookstore in 2021 in hopes of creating a sustainable future for the beloved community resource. They also owned BookBar, which closed in January 2023.
Upon acquiring the Bookies, the Sullivans began searching for a stand-alone investment property with more visibility and financial security than the previous location offered. It took nearly two years to find the right building with enough space to merchandise the Bookies' inventory without getting too far away from its long-time, supportive community. They purchased a building from Lehrer's Fireplace and Patio Outlet in May 2023 and have since been working to transform the space into a large but cozy bookstore.
"This building checked all of the boxes for us," said Nicole Sullivan. "It is centrally located in Denver only two miles from the previous Bookies location. It is roughly the same size as our former retail space but with options for future growth and/or tenants. Best of all, the Lehrer family let us keep a couple of their gorgeous fireplaces. I love the cozy industrial aesthetic of the building with its high ceilings and natural light."
In addition to the 7,000 square feet of retail, there is also plenty of back office space for the company's community fulfillment efforts. Store manager Krista Carlton said, "The Bookies has long been a trusted book source for schools, partners, events, and our increasingly popular teacher registry program in which we facilitate a community supported effort to fill teachers' classrooms with the books they need."
Additionally, the building has a 2,000-square-foot warehouse and a second-floor studio space that currently houses Grand Master Yoon's World Tae Kwon Do College.
The new store will feature green carpeting, the original custom-built shelving and fixtures, and teacher and educator supplies, as well as a focus on children's literature. There will also be a dedicated meeting room for book clubs, community meetings, and workshops; seating throughout the store for meeting, reading, and studying; a complimentary coffee bar; and two fireplace lounges. The Bookies plans to make use of its open, modular layout to host more events and literary programming.