Prosed Books, an all-ages bookstore with an emphasis on diverse authors and stories, is opening in Eugene, Ore., this fall. The 673-square-foot store, at 1237 Charnelton St., will carry a wide-ranging inventory of fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels by authors from marginalized backgrounds.
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Store owner Jynastie Wilson hopes to have the bookstore open by early November, and to that end, she's launched a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of $5,000. Funds will go toward things like minor renovations and acquiring inventory. So far, it has raised more than $1,000, with 19 days to go.
While most of the store's inventory will be new books, Wilson does plan to offer a limited selection of used titles, along with a Little Free Library outside the store. She noted: "Everyone deserves a good book, even if they can't necessarily afford it."
In addition to books, Wilson will carry a "range of bookish goodies" like tote bags, stickers, and candles, and she's reaching out to local artists about featuring their work in-store.
On the subject of events, Wilson said she would love Prosed Books to be seen as a community as well as a bookstore. Her plans include author readings and signings, craft nights, queer picture book readings, vendor pop-up markets, silent and traditional book clubs, and writing nights.
Wilson is a literary agent as well as a bookstore owner, and she hopes that "writers will be drawn in because of my knowledge and experience, and that'll be something fun to explore." She's also intends to provide a space for community members and local businesses to host their own events.
Prior to founding Prosed Books, Wilson worked as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble from 2021 until February 2024. She said she's always dreamt of opening a bookstore, but "didn't know if it was ever possible as I came from a low income household and didn't have the first idea on how to open a business."
She decided that now was the right time to pursue her bookstore dream "after some positive feedback from the community and after having a great support system around me. I wouldn't have made this leap if they weren't pushing me to do so."
Touching on the community at large, Wilson said there's "been nothing but positivity." She's been doing pop-up appearances in advance of the store's opening, and at the most recent pop-up, she was told by multiple people how excited they were for the physical location to open.
"And it definitely reminds me of how much a place like this is needed in Eugene," Wilson said. "I'm really looking to foster more of a community here."