Northport Books opened last month at 127 Main St. in Northport, N.Y. Greater Huntington reported that owner Jennifer McAuliffe said the idea for the bookstore "came after a big life shift.... Once her kids went off to college and she left her corporate job of 27 years, she started thinking seriously about doing something just for herself--and for the community."
When the idea of a bookstore presented itself, "I wanted it to be in a great location, one that was special to me," she recalled, adding that Northport turned out to be the spot. "I couldn't believe that this town didn't have a bookstore. But when the space became available, it all came together. It was serendipitous."
Before signing a lease, McAuliffe checked out other Long Island bookshops, wanting to make sure she wasn't stepping on any local toes. "I didn't want to compete with other bookstores," she said. "So my first mission was to visit them all and make sure there was distance between us."
The storefront--a former art gallery--needed little renovation, other than a fresh coat of paint, some new floors, and bookshelves. She found the space in the winter and moved quickly when it became available last spring.
"I really wanted this to be a community space," she said. "I'm listening to what everybody wants, and I think it can be a really cool space."