I have a  new love. Over the weekend I read this article in our local paper. Amazingly, it was about the success of independent book stores in our area. Not only was I thrilled with that fact, but I couldn’t have been happier to discover that a new store had opened just a few minutes from us.

I went to Well Read earlier in the week and I must say, I hope that it will be my Valentine because I am in love. Bill Skees opened his 2500 square foot store just before Thanksgiving last year fulfilling a life long dream. The store is inviting and warm with beautifully displayed shelves, comfortable chairs, free coffee and lots and lots of great staff recommendations.

As if this wasn’t enough, this store that does not claim to be a children’s  bookstore has an absolutely fabulous children’s section. Often I find that grown up bookstores have a children’s section that is merely an after thought- a few poorly chosen titles thrown in to the back of the store. But Well Read’s children’s selection made me smile. It was a perfect balance of the old and the new, fiction and non-fiction, picture books and chapter books. I felt as if I had finally sat down and made that list of ‘must reads’ that I’m always meaning to write and they had appeared within the walls of this place. It came as no surprise when I learned that the owner’s wife, a pre-school teacher, had played a large role in the selection. While booksellers are wonderful people, I’m afraid they just can’t stand up to teachers when it comes to choosing literature for children. Mr. Skees wife clearly knows her stuff and she has done Well Read a wonderful service.

For those of my readers who are local, please find time to visit Well Read. It will be  more than worth the trip. Also, find them on Facebook. They are having many great events including storytimes, bookclubs and a Kidlit Author Party that you wouldn’t want to miss. And if you are not local, go to their website and fill up your cart- they offer on line shopping.