Hidden Barn Books will open next month in a renovated barn in downtown Bar Harbor, Maine. Owner Genie Thorndike told Bangor Daily News that the barn, at 31 Kennebec Place, was built in 1883, and has approximately 1,800 square feet of retail space, not including a "spacious and beautiful" loft she hopes will serve as a community gathering space. The bookstore is expected to open on June 14.
"I think there's room in any community for a local bookstore, where there is a desire to be in a community space and share a love of books," Thorndike said, adding that the continued existence of owner-operator retail booksellers nationwide shows that there is a demand for community-oriented bookstores.
Thorndike will focus exclusively on selling books and have a designated room for children's titles. Bangor Daily News noted that she "does not plan to sell coffee--there are already plenty of coffee shops in town, she noted--customers will be welcome to bring it with them to enjoy while they browse."
"Independent bookstores are opening up all over the country," she said. "They are making a comeback, and I'm going to try hard to make it work."