by Inkwell Booksellers Company had its grand opening last weekend with giveaways, author talks and according to the owner, Elizabeth Foster, a warm reception from the community.
“There’s been a lot of great people coming in to just express how happy they are that there’s a bookstore in the area,” Foster said. “Which I mean I agree that we needed a bookstore, but it’s really really great to hear from actual residents of the space.”
Customers I talked with, Devan Blanchard and Jacxl Fernandez, agreed that the area was in need of a bookstore.
“So we’ve been needing a bookstore since the Barnes & Noble in downtown closed about five years ago and I’m really happy we have one now, instead of having to go all the way to the Mall of America just to buy a book,” Blanchard said.
“There’s a couple libraries in the area but not really bookstores,” Fernandez said.
With a need in the market, Foster said it was only a matter of time.
“So I think it’s one of those moments of no had just opened here yet,” Foster said. “The Twin Cities does have a really great historical record of supporting independent bookstores.”
But Foster said she wants her business to be more than just a bookstore.
“I really want people to find that our space is not just a retail establishment,” Foster said. “That they can come here and sit and linger. If they want to come sit and work. If they want to have their book clubs here, they’re knitting clubs. Community groups if they need a space.”
The Twin Cities area has seen many bookstores come and go over the years. Several went out of business as Amazon rose to dominance in retail sales, but at least five new independent bookstores have opened here since 2020.
