Little Lantern Book Co. hosted a ribbon-cutting and grand opening celebration on July 17 at 600 Pennsylvania Ave, Hartshorne, Okla. Owner Heather Moore posted on Facebook: "Yesterday was absolutely incredible. Thank you to every single person who came by, shopped, browsed the shelves, shared a post, or simply stopped in to say hello. You all made our Grand Opening weekend feel like something truly special, and my heart is so full.... Thank you for believing in this little dream of mine. Every person who walks through our doors adds another page to the story, and I couldn't ask for a better community to write it with."
Moore told the McAlester News-Capital: "I have always wanted to open a bookstore. That's my dream job, to own a bookstore."
Making that dream a reality started in May when the building became available in Hartshorne. The property includes a big corner lot, where she plans to host events outside to get the community more involved, including author signings, book clubs, and more.
"We need some new businesses. We need some things to do out here. That's one of the complaints I've heard from everyone is there's no shopping and there's nothing to do in Hartshorne," she said, adding: "I've fallen in love with Hartshorne, and I would love for it to be a little busier of a town where things to do, especially for the teenagers and everybody out here. I want Hartshorne to be a good place to stop."