Double Dog Bookshop, a mobile bookstore based in Wentzville, Mo., opened last spring to serve St. Charles County from a refurbished trailer. Owner Kelley Hartnett has been spending the summer getting to know the area's bookish community.
"We're bringing the joy of browsing and discovery to sidewalks, parking lots, and markets," she said. "Not everyone has a neighborhood bookstore anymore, and it's so fun to watch people's eyes light up when they realize we've delivered one to them."
Hartnett purchased the 7'x14' trailer when a storefront location proved difficult to find. She and her husband spent six weeks renovating it and outfitting the space with shelves to house the 1,200 books. The business is named in honor of Hartnett's two rescue dogs, Murphy and Whiskey, and is the result of a decades-long dream of owning a bookstore.
For Hartnett, her shop is about more than selling books: "Many of us spend a lot of time consuming whatever content algorithms suggest to us. I want Double Dog to be a place where we can have real conversations and build true community with the people right around us."
The shop carries new books of all genres "for humans of all ages." With pop-up appearances across the St. Louis metro area, Double Dog brings the independent bookstore experience directly to local neighborhoods and events. The mobile bookstore currently has no fixed route, but regularly updates its calendar and social media with information about upcoming appearances.