After a year of operating in Moraine, Ohio, the Cozy Book Nook is moving to a new, larger location in Dayton, Ohio, the Dayton Daily News reported.
The new space, at 1400 E. Third St., is significantly larger than the bookstore's previous 600-square-foot home. While store owners Leslie and Tony Garcia have access to 5,500 square feet across two floors and a basement, they plan to have the bookstore reside in a 2,000-square-foot space on the first floor and will rent out the upstairs space as offices for creatives.
The additional retail space will allow the owners to expand their inventory, which includes general-interest new and used books and emphasizes independent authors, as well as their suite of events. Currently they host a number of book clubs; in the new location they will add a beer crawl book club, a speed dating-style event in which authors pitch their books, poetry events, critique sessions for writers, and an awards night for indie authors.
"We want something for everyone that walks in and we also want to hit all the different price points," Leslie Garcia told the Dayton Daily News. She explained that they're moving to a new location because they've outgrown the old one, having run out of places to put new bookshelves.
"There's so much we want to do," Tony Garcia added. "This place is going to allow us to... create an experience when you come, so you’re not going to come just to look for books."
The earliest iteration of the Cozy Book Nook was an online store focused on used titles. They opened a bricks-and-mortar store in Moraine roughly a year ago, as a way of gauging community interest. They've gradually expanded their offerings since opening, and Leslie Garcia noted that "every month is better than the month before, so it's a good sign."
The Garcias are planning for an October 1 soft opening in the new location.