New and used bookstore Tesseract Books held a grand opening last month in Yellow Springs, Ohio, the Yellow Springs News reported.
The bookstore, at 232 Xenia Ave., carries general-interest titles for all ages. It is a successor to Epic Book Shop, which first opened in Yellow Springs more than 50 years ago. Tesseract Books owner Kathy Engisch officially took over the store from Epic Book Shop owner Gail Lichtenfels in April and has added to the store's selection and changed the name.
The new name, Engisch told Yellow Springs News, is a reference to Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. "I chose it because I like the sound of the word and I like the idea of traveling to another world, which is what reading is for me, especially reading science fiction," she said.
Engisch has also brought in some prints and cards from local artists, and she plans to continue adjusting the inventory based on community feedback. One thing that is very important to her, she added, is highlighting banned books and promoting literacy during such polarized times.
Prior to buying Epic Book Shop, Engisch taught at Wright State University as part of the Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology. She had wanted a bookstore of her own for years, ever since seeing one for sale while on vacation, but the timing did not work out and she did not want to compete with Epic Book Shop. When she learned that Lichtenfels was thinking of selling, she jumped at the opportunity.