The Little Book children's bookstore will celebrate its grand opening today at 520 Euclid Ave., Suite 102, in Des Moines, Iowa, We Are Iowa reported, adding that the event will also feature Nic Roth's mural unveiling and artist exhibition.
Bethany Fast, co-owner of the new bookshop with her husband, David, described her life as a series of "big life shifts," including cross-country moves, major career changes, and having kids before her most recent venture.
"There's children's sections at every bookstore, but there's not a store that's really predominantly aimed at children," Fast said. "It just felt like a niche we could fill."
Located in the city's historic Highland Park neighborhood, the Little Book is focused on creating a "child-inclusive" space for kids and families. "As caregivers of children... it's a lot of times hard to bring them into a space and feel like it's okay for them to make noise. It's okay for them to be their loud, chaotic little selves," Fast said.
In a space that is intentionally child-focused, the "shelves don't tower over visitors, making it easier for kids and people with mobility aids to access books. When kids aren't browsing, they can sit in the reading nook or at a kid-sized craft table," We Are Iowa wrote, adding that even the bathrooms are designed for children and parents.
"We're just really trying to take the time to walk through what we go through as parents trying to wrangle kids," Fast said, adding that part of creating a child-inclusive environment is making sure every child is represented on the shelves: "We are seeing a lot of legislation and, you know, laws being put into place that really are affecting children in a big way in a way that they don't get a say in.... All kids and all families can come in and see themselves on the shelves, see themselves in the employees, see themselves in the art and feel like it's a place where they can be safe and be comfortable and be celebrated."