Wednesday was a busy day for The Next Chapter Bookstore and Literary Café as it celebrated the café’s opening as well as the bookstore’s expansion.
The event was hosted by the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce.
“Thank you guys for bringing this to our community,” said Chamber Executive Director Val Hoxie.
Owners Angela Pursel and her daughter, Alexis McCarthy, welcomed the public, including a pair of city officials – Mayor Dave Drotzmann and City Councilor David McCarthy, who also happens to be the husband of Alexis.
“Everyone should have access to books,” Angela said, describing one of the reasons she and Alexis opened the store three and a half years ago. “We want to share stories with people.”
The bookstore is located in their former business, Dance Unlimited, where Alexis served as studio director and lead dance instructor. Angela’s husband, Cody, did all the remodel work in converting the former dance studio into a bookstore. He preserved the dance floor and used it as wall décor for the bookstore. Angela said former students love seeing the old dance floor hanging from the walls.
Angela and Cody’s daughter, Melani, has also contributed her artistic talents to the business by creating the store’s logo, creating bookmarks, as well as painting the tree mural in the children’s area.
“It really is a family affair,” Angela said.
The dance studio had to shut down during the pandemic and during that time, Angela converted the lobby into a bookstore before “I got the crazy idea to tear down all the walls” to open a full-time bookstore.
The expansion has allowed the bookstore to grow from 550 square feet to more than 2,000 square feet. With the expanded space, Angela and Alexis were able to create a game area as well as a children’s space.
The store has five part-time employees and recently hired its first full-timer, Alaina Schwertfeger, who will start in August.
The Next Chapter Bookstore offers much more than books, Angela said. Regular events include visits from authors, which Angela says are more like fireside chats. The first author to visit was local writer Karen Zacharias with her book, “The Murder Gene: A True Story.”
Every Saturday the bookstore also hosts Story Time for youngsters which includes book readings, crafts and treats. Story Time is hosted by Alexis and meets at 11 a.m.
The store also hosts three book clubs – one for adults, one for middle grade students and a Silent Book Club in which attendees share what books they’re reading, then shut off their phones and read quietly for two hours.
“That has grown exponentially,” Angela said.
The Silent Book Club meets from 3 to 5 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month. The adult club meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday every month, and the student book club meets from 6 to 7 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of every other month.
This coming Saturday, July 27, will see the bookstore celebrate the culmination of a month-long event with the Find Waldo Hermiston Party from 2 to 4 p.m. The Next Chapter Bookstore was selected as one of a number of bookstores in the nation to host such an event. Participating children have been searching throughout Hermiston all July to find Waldo. Each of the contest’s participants will receive free pizza.
The Next Chapter Bookstore and Literary Café is located at 1000 S. Highway 395, Suite C. For more information, call 541-667-7080 or visit the website.
