The Wandering Page bookstore and coffee bar held its grand opening celebration on June 30 at 3925 Farnam St. in the Blackstone District of Omaha, Neb. In a social media post, co-owners Amber Henson and Yajaira "Jay" Vacanti wrote: "Wander with us... would you? Today is our official GRAND OPENING--and we're feeling so loved! The support, the smiles, the sweet messages--it's all been absolutely incredible. We can't wait to see even more of you tonight, tomorrow, and all week long!... We're honored to be part of the Blackstone District and can't wait to add a little more magic to this amazing community."
The new bookstore occupies "two bays that once held a yoga studio," the World-Herald reported. "Part of it is a bookstore with places to sit and read, and another part is a coffee bar featuring lattes, macchiatos, cold brews and more, plus macarons, cakes, sesame cookies, baklava and other pastries. It also will serve wine, beer, and hard seltzers.
Henson and Vacanti met at an Omaha corporation and discovered they had a lot in common. "We instantly bonded over books and coffee," Henson said.
Deciding they wanted to open a place where others share their vision, they subsequently quit their jobs as co-leaders of a compliance team at Fusion Medical Staffing to pursue what Henson called "a longtime dream."
Their 1,800-square-foot midtown location is "in a neighborhood filled with restaurants, shops, apartment complexes and some single-family homes. They expect it to draw not only students and young professionals, but also families," the World-Herald noted.
The Wandering Page sells both new and used books. "We want people to buy books, but if they want to grab one off the shelf and sit and read, we're not against that," Henson said. "We just encourage reading."