 |
|
| Let's Play's store in Emmaus. | |
On Independent Bookstore Day, Let's Play Books, Emmaus, Pa., will host a soft opening for its second location, The End: a bookstore, at 3055 Tilghman St. in Allentown. Earlier this year, owner Kirsten Hess had launched a fundraising campaign for the new store, which is "near the township's border with Allentown's West End, will feature new books for all ages along with author events," WFMZ reported.
"I am beyond excited," Hess said. "We had been looking for a second location or a new location--a place that could fit everything that we wanted--for over four years. We knew in 2019 that we had to expand, and then Covid really threw everything through a loop."
Let's Play Books originated as a children's bookstore in 2013 at 379 Main St. In 2016, the business moved to its current spot at 244 Main St., adding a wide selection of adult books in the process. The Emmaus store "has books on all three floors, with the first floor featuring adult books, the second floor featuring children's books and the third floor featuring children's books and doubling as event space for book clubs, camps and other programming," WFMZ noted.
The Emmaus store is temporarily closed the week leading up to the End's soft opening, but will reopen April 29.
"[The business] is doing well," Hess said. "People still want to support independent bookstores. That's still happening. But with the footprint that we have now, even though it's almost 3,000 square feet, it's three floors, seven rooms and not conducive to author events with 30-40 people. It just doesn't do what we need it to do."
Let's Play Books' new store will feature more linear footage and a mix of books that will be about 30% children's and 70% adult, Hess added. "They're each going to be very unique. So, you'll be able to pick which [store] works better for you."