Book lovers can celebrate the beginning of the next chapter in downtown Fayetteville\u2019s retail story with a new independent bookstore. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter House Books opened Aug. 16 at 225 Franklin St., owner Annie Clymer said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a lot of fun; we\u2019ve been getting a lot of folks coming out,” Clymer said just after opening for the day Aug. 22. \u201cI\u2019m surprised at how many people found out about us just by driving by, just seeing the sign for so long. But it\u2019s been very good. It’s very positive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clymer told The Fayetteville Observer in May<\/a> that she and her husband, co-owner Andrew Ridgeway, relocated to Fayetteville last summer when Ridgeway took a job as an assistant professor at Methodist University. The couple, who met in a bookstore, had dreamed of one day opening a bookstore of their own.\u00a0<\/p>\n Clymer said her store has both new and used books, as well as remainders, which is overstock from publishers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a little bit of every genre, I think, and every topic, basically, so you\u2019ll probably find something that you\u2019re interested in if you come on by.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n And even though she\u2019s only been open a week, Clymer said she\u2019s already noticing some trends in what her customers are buying. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of romance, a lot of sci-fi and fantasy, so a lot of the kind of genre fiction, which is a lot of fun,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd then I\u2019ve also noticed a lot of kids\u2019 books selling, so people have been bringing their kids in.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Bookstores are having a moment\u00a0<\/p>\n Chapter House Books is a part of what looks to be an independent bookstore renaissance in downtown Fayetteville.\u00a0<\/p>\n Longtime bookstore City Center Gallery & Books, which has been at 112 Hay St. since 2003, has plans to nearly double its footprint when it expands next door into the space at 110 Hay St. Owners Diane and Hank Parfitt told the Observer in July<\/a> that, while they\u2019re planning for a spring opening of the new space, they\u2019d ideally like to be open before Christmas.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the fall, another indie bookseller, Bound & Vine, will open at 134 Person St. Owner Kellie Artis told the Observer in July that her shop will carry general interest books, as well as local authors, particularly on military themes. Bound & Vine will also have a wine bar, Artis said, “to encourage people to linger, connect with someone who is already there or perhaps just cozy up in a corner and discover a new read.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n What\u2019s next? \u00a0<\/p>\n As for Chapter House Books, Clymer said a ribbon-cutting ceremony is in the works, so \u201cwe\u2019ll probably try to make that day like a bit of a party.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Clymer said that, although nothing’s official yet, she\u2019s in talks to host author signings at the shop.<\/p>\n Perhaps the biggest development in the works, however, is that customers will soon be able to shop Chapter House Books via the store\u2019s website. \u00a0<\/p>\n