A New Bookstore Is Coming To Creve Coeur

In the shadow of a closing bookstore, a new, independent bookstore is opening in : All On The Same Page Bookstore will open its doors on October 1 at 11052 Olive Blvd. in the space formerly occupied by The Racketman.

“We’re going to be a small, old-time, comfortable place where you can come in, look for books, sit down, read for a bit and if we don’t have the book you’re looking for, we’ll find it for you,” store owner Robin Tidwell said.

Unlike the large national chains, Tidwell said her store is not aiming to be all things for all people. The bookstore will primarily feature used books but will also include newly-published books, however not necessarily the New York Times bestseller types of books, Tidwell explained.

“I want to focus on local writers and publishers.”

As resident of Creve Coeur and graduate of , Tidwell is a writer with a personal collection of over 1,000 books, which doesn’t include what she has on her electronic reader. She is combining her love of books with her previous experience of running businesses and with her husband’s retail background.

“Dennis has been in retail all his life. A few months ago he said ‘We could have a bookstore. I know retail and you know books.’ I started making notes and before he knew what was going on, we soon had a website, email account, Facebook page, and I was on the Internet buying books,” Tidwell said.

According to Jarek Steele, president of St. Louis Independent Bookstore Alliance and co-owner of Left Bank Books, in the last year he has seen more independent bookstores opening in the area than previously.

“A lot of them are used bookstores which is a good model for this area and has good price points,” Steele said. “St. Louis is a very literate city. If a city like this can support the 13 bookstores in the alliance as well as the Barnes & Noble and, up until recently, Borders stores, then that says a lot,” Steele said.
  
In fact, the American Booksellers Association, a trade association for independent booksellers, issued an optimistic statement in response to the Borders liquidation indicating that independent bookstores are in positions to expand and to open new stores.

However, Tidwell is not looking to become the next Borders.

“I have in mind an old fashioned corner bookstore with antiques, a little nook where you can sit and read, author readings and signings and book clubs,” she said.

The new store’s hours will be: Tuesday—Friday, 10 a.m.—6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.—4 p.m.

Check back with Patch for details on the store’s grand opening events.