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The Downtowne Bookstore will unveil its new "Chapter Two" location at 3580 Main during the August 7th ArtsWalk, offering a more curated shopping experience while preserving the original store's back-alley charm.
Dr. Jungmiwha Bullock acquired the former Salvaged Treasures building in May, creating what she describes as "less for a lingering stroll among the stacks and more of a space to find a smart gift for a friend, co-worker, or yourself."
You're still browsing in the new space, but there's a browsing characteristic of used bookstores that's unique, and the new space shops more like a gift boutique than a bookstore. The new space may be more boutique than bookstore, but it is geared toward the bibliophile. Chapter Two represents a deliberate shift from the serendipitous discovery experience that defines traditional used bookstore browsing while maintaining focus on serious book lovers.
"Sometimes new isn't better," Dr. Bullock said during a recent sneak peek event, emphasizing that Chapter Two doesn't replace the main location behind the Mission Inn Annex. The two shops aren't physically connected, though customers must still enter the original bookstore through the narrow alleyway corridor that has always added to the romance of the shop.
Dr. Bullock said she talked to everyone about how she was going to "manifest" an opportunity. Dr. Bullock does not mean by manifest "wish and hope for the best" but rather "do what it takes to make it happen."
The new space centers on building community around different types of book lovers, with designated areas for various creative personalities. "Now more than ever, we need to actually pick up a book," Dr. Bullock told the preview audience. "We need our neighbors to pick up books."
A key feature will be the front window, designed as both display space and community classroom. "We're going to do some beautiful things where it's going to teach the community," she explained. The window will serve as a stage where performing artists can work for two or three hours while passersby watch them create.
The first window display will feature a large painted birdcage with "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" sitting inside under a spotlight, setting the tone for the literary focus that distinguishes Chapter Two from typical gift shops.
The Downtowne Bookstore has always been the area's "little back alley treasure," and Dr. Bullock has maintained that mystery and romance while expanding the shop's character. Chapter Two represents her vision of creating more than a bookstore, a curated space that serves the community's need for both literary discovery and meaningful gathering places.
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