There’s a sense of wistful nostalgia independent bookstores bring to all booklovers alike. The stacks of books from ceiling to floor radiate an impression of organized chaos, accompanied by the overwhelming feeling of having an abundance of all kinds of information at your fingertips. They’re unique places, always hosting a unique cast of characters.

That’s exactly what drew Joseph and Mikayla Shearer to owning a bookstore of their own.

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The Shearers recently took over Hooked on Books at 3918 Maizeland Road, acquiring the store from Mary and Jim Ciletti, who ran it for 42 years.

The Cilettis will continue ownership of their downtown location on East Bijou Street.

Avid customers since their move to the Springs in 2017, the Shearers have toyed with the idea of owning their own bookstore for several years. Last fall, they said the opportunity fell into their lap.

“It came up that the store was for sale, and we decided to just go for it,” Mikayla said. “It is a little sooner on the timelines than we had anticipated, but you don’t really see these opportunities come up. It’s always just been a place that we’ve loved.”

When they’re not at the store or reading, Mikayla works as a family law attorney, and Joseph works with veterans in the mental health field. In the next year, Joseph is hoping to transition to working in the shop full time.

“I’ve always had a passion for books and bookstores, and over the past three to four years it became a dream to start our own,” Joseph said.

Independent bookstores have experienced a 38% decrease in the U.S. since 2012. According to the U.S. census, there are 10,800 bookstores in the U.S.

In an industry struggling to keep up with the evolving times of eBooks and audiobooks, the Shearers said the community surrounding Hooked on Books stays strong. Joseph said there are over 1,000 customers in their trade-credit database to date.

The couple said they’ve received nothing but support since taking over the shop on April 1.

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“There were over 100 people here Saturday. It was one of the busiest Saturdays they’ve seen in a long time,” Mikayla said. “In taking over the existing store and having the 42 years of customers that are established, it’s been neat seeing how much this place means to so many different people.”

The store itself hosts a timeless atmosphere. Knick-knacks and quotes line the shelves in between the massive sections of books. It’s a store you can truly find yourself lost in.

Being a new and used bookstore, boxes upon boxes can be seen of donations yet to be priced and shelved. The couple said one of the biggest obstacles they’re facing is attempting to modernize the store’s system.

“Right now, we need to know off the top of our heads where every book that we have is physically located in the store,” Joseph said. “The books — that’s the fun part. Right now, we’re trying to learn the ins and outs of running a small business.”

The couple said once they’ve settled in, they look forward to hosting author readings and signings and merging with the nearby outdoor community in the future.

“The immediate community is where we first want to start engaging. Palmer Park is right there, and there’s another trail system nearby,” Joseph said. “We really want to merge the outdoor community with the bookstore, in slow phases. We want to learn what we’re doing with the existing store before we make those bigger strides.”

Mikayla emphasized the importance of creating a “safe space” for the community.

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“We’re just hoping to make a good impact and continue the legacy of the previous owners at this location. This place means a lot to a lot of people, and we just want to do it justice,” Mikayla said. “We want this to be a place where people feel community and feel like it’s a place people can go to where they can feel safe.”

Joseph echoed his wife’s thoughts.

“There’s so much intersection. Everybody reads books, so many different people from different communities. If you start talking about someone with a book or share a book with someone that has a different point of view it brings connection, and that’s a powerful thing,” Joseph said.