OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — If you love to read or are looking for activities for the family, The Next Chapter near 24th and Farnam is open.
Owner Michelle Mutun continued the family business and opened the store last fall.
"It's an extension of the family legacy of Prairie Books and Gifts which was in Hastings, Nebraska," Muton said. "So I thought it was fitting to call it The Next Chapter, and it's just a small, independent, local, bookstore."
She said at first, she was nervous about opening the store.
"With Amazon, and some of the big guys out there...I think independent bookstores have taken a turn, and I feel that there's a resurgence for them," Muton said. "They're popular again, and people just love to be able to get into a physical bookstore, hold the book, look at the book...and just be a part of it. I mean, they're just beautiful."
She says her first few months went well, as she opened before the holiday shopping season.
But when COVID-19 hit, she had one thought.
"'What a crazy first year I'm going to have as a new business,'" Muton said. "And I thought, 'Well, this is going to be wild, and if I can get through this then I can get through anything.'"
Mutun says that a time when people were asked to stay at home due to the pandemic, she saw more people resorting to books.
"People are reading more; that was something they could do, so as far as sales, it was good," Muton said. "People were special ordering more, getting more kids books, families are staying home...I sold a lot of puzzles."
She says luckily she's been able to get by, thanks to her customers.
"Through this, the customers have really been the key," Muton said. "They have continued to call, email, and text, and special order books. I'll run it out curbside, or they may run in, grab it and run out. I did deliveries; I did everything I could to try and get through."
The Next Chapter
LOCATION:
2508 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68131
HOURS:
Monday - Saturday: 10AM - 6:30PM
Sunday: 12 - 5PM
CONTACT:
531-218-7996
