I grew up wandering the aisles of a small Midwestern bookstore owned by my grandparents, a place where the scents of books, pine, and my grandfather’s pipe tobacco still linger in my memory. Their shop was a world of its own. The hand-built shelves, painted a very 1970s shade of brown, formed delightful little mazes for my sisters and me to explore.

In the corner by the comic book rack sat a well-loved brown pleather couch that creaked with every wiggle. It was always piled with coloring books, crayons, and the occasional smuggled-in Happy Meal from my grandmother. Behind the counter, glass jars held plant cuttings—descendants of the sprawling pothos that climbed the shelves and curled through the store like a friendly guardian.

Those happy, cozy moments in my grandparents’ shop planted the dream that eventually grew into Barney’s Book Sellers. While we don’t yet have a physical storefront filled with our own mismatched shelves and leafy vines, my hope is to recreate that same feeling of warmth, discovery, and welcome here.

I’m so glad you’re a part of this new chapter. May your time with Barney’s Book Sellers be filled with joy, curiosity, and memories of your own to add to your story.