Reading Between the Books: A Visit at Storied Owl Books
Picture above: Main bookshelf along back wall, with many different YA and children's books
When I walked into Storied Owl Books, the smell of books and a feeling of comfort washed over me. I was struck by the wide range of books that they stocked. The store is run by Amy and Marcus Turany-Mayer. I had been intrigued by the bookstore after I had passed it on move-in day. The store is located across the street from Gate One, at the corner of Randolph Avenue and Cleveland Avenue.
I wandered around the store, trying to find books that interested me. I started in the adult fiction section, partly because I wanted to find a challenging book to read and partly because it is closest to the entrance. In the front section of the store, they have comfortable, cozy seating for you to read. Most of the bookshelves go to the ceiling, which made it a bit difficult to look at the top shelves because of my short stature.
Halloween themed area of the store in the children's section
After perusing the store, I approached co-owner Amy Turany-Mayer and asked if they had any LGBT fiction. I have been searching for LGBT representation in fiction books and was hoping that I would find some at Storied Owl. She said that they did have a lot of LGBT fiction, it just wasn’t separated out into its own category. She then asked if I had a specific book I was looking for and found it after I gave her the title and author. After finding two more books I wanted to buy, I went to purchase the books and was surprised by how little I was spending. Although I spent just under 50 dollars, the price was worth it to me because I bought three books, one of which was hard cover.
Amy and Marcus Turany-Mayer started the bookstore because they had a shared interest in stories. “We’ve always felt a strong pull towards stories, people that love them, and the magic that happens whenever you step into another world through a great book. We wanted a project we could work on together, with a central starting point that other projects could naturally stem from. We tossed around other ideas but always came back to a store as the foundation,” said Amy Turany-Mayer.
A lion statue near the back of the store with a lion themed children's book
The name “Storied Owl” captures what the owners love about reading, stories of all kinds and the magic of fiction that takes you to another world. According to Amy Turany-Mayer, all of the workers at the store are “friendly and knowledgeable and [they] all love reading and that great feeling of getting the book a person wants or needs into their hands.” Amy and Marcus Turany-Mayer said that their hope is for the store to be a gathering spot and “a place people think of where they can always pop in to find a bit of magic and a friendly hello.” Both owners said, “All people and all readers are welcome” in their store.
Bookshelf at the back of the store with Pride flag displayed next to it
The gay pride flag hanging on one of the walls embodies the welcoming spirit of the store. In addition to being open to all people, they also allow dogs inside the store. Since there is a pet clinic next door, it is possible you could find a furry friend to pet while browsing for books.
One unique aspect to the store is that it carries a large selection of children’s and young adult books. As Amy Turany-Mayersaid, “instead of being a general bookstore which traditionally has a higher percentage of adult titles, we decided to go 50/50 adult/kids.” She also said that for adults they carry “sections dedicated to general fiction, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, horror, poetry, romance, short stories and graphic novels.” Although the store mainly offers story-based fiction books, they also offer a selection of non-fiction books in the categories of people, nature, and food. For children, Amy Turany-Mayer said they carry “every age book of fiction from baby board books through YA, including graphic novels, and a selection of non-fiction and poetry.” Besides the varying selection of genres, they also have a variety of new releases while also carrying many classic books. On one shelf they have “The Odyssey” by Homer, “Everything Inside” by Edwidge Danticat (originally printed this summer), and baby books.
Of course, despite the wide variety, they cannot help but have a limited selection of books. There may only be a few books from one author or they might not have the book you are looking for, as I found “Fangirl” and “Carry On” by Rainbow Rowell but they did not have the book “Eleanor and Park” by the same author. This may not be the place to find a specific book you want to read, but it is the perfect place to discover a new book, author, or genre.
Overall I would recommend crossing the street to visit Storied Owl Books because it is a great addition to our St. Kate’s neighborhood. I believe that many book-lovers like myself would appreciate the store because of its variety of books, accepting nature, and proximity to campus.As appealing as the store is, students searching for new worlds to discover may have trouble limiting themselves to one purchase on a limited budget. If you visit, make sure you still have enough money for spring semester afterward!
