The Story Collective opened this week at 114 S. Seventh St. in St. Joseph, Mo. Owner Ashley Dawson posted on Instagram Tuesday: "Opening day and it has been busy all day. Thank you all for stopping in! Let’s do this again tomorrow."
Dawson told the News-Press that independent bookstores like hers are re-surging. "The book industry, as a whole, has really changed in the last couple of decades," Dawson said. "But reading never goes out of style, and people still make great books. I think what people look for in an independent bookstore nowadays is a place to connect with other people, and that's what we are looking to bring to the community."
The Story Collective "wants to build longevity and a community of readers that like to come together and share what they're reading and learning," the News-Press noted.
"The good thing about most book readers is they tend to be learners," Dawson said. "So, I'm learning what others like as a reader and if I don't have it in my store, tell me and I'd love to stock it. It's something new for everybody, for me to learn, but also for people to come in and discover stuff for themselves that they may like.
"Not every person reads every genre. So, it's good to have a variety of books for all ages and all people so they can have something to walk home with and engulf themselves in a great story. Anyone can enjoy reading if the book suits them."