SHAWNEE, Kan. — A new bookstore just opened in downtown Shawnee, and it’s owned by a 14-year-old girl.
Technically, her mom owns Seven Stories, but 14-year-old Halley Vincent runs it.
It all started years ago when she volunteered to read books to dogs at pet shelters. People began donating books to help, and she’d give them away in exchange for a donation to the animal shelter.
That led to an interest in possibly selling books to give some of the profits to unwanted pets.
She first opened it in her mom’s art studio, but that was only 97 square feet.
Last month, they moved into a bigger space off Johnson Drive and Nieman, across from Shawnee City Hall. She says the community has been very supportive.
“What I love about owning a bookstore? I love the interactions with people more than anything, talking with people who come into the bookstore,” Vincent said.
“Learning about them. Learning what kind of reader they are. I mean, I get a lot of people who come in and say I don’t read and I’m like, just not yet. We’re going to work on it.”
The store is called Seven Stories, and it is open Tuesday through Saturday. Go to shop7stories.com to learn more.