As it becomes increasingly difficult to get personal attention when you’re buying something — because you’re e-mailing or buying from a Web site or wandering a giant store trying desperately to get someone to answer a simple question — independent retailers are treasures to be sought out and cherished. This is especially true for Little Shop of Stories, the bookstore for kids (“and the adults they become”) that has settled into downtown Decatur for nearly five years. Little Shop of Stories was founded by Diane Capriola and Dave Shallenberger. Capriola was raising her family in Decatur and realized “what a great community [it] would be for a local children’s bookstore. It was an idea that was nagging at me for years, and I decided I needed to make it happen or let go of the dream.”
She sent out an e-mail to everyone she knew, and her list included Shallenberger, a fellow parent, friend and lawyer who was entering the last year of a lease on his office space.
He remembers, “I was trying to determine whether or not I wanted to sign up for another five years of it or whether I had one last career left in me.”
The two teamed up, and Little Shop was born. Before the store even opened, Capriola and Shallenberger brought on board Terra McVoy to help set up the shop and she continues to this day to help out with the store as “bookseller extraordinaire.”
McVoy, now a published young adult author, says, “I think the main thing that makes Little Shop so awesome both for the people who work there and the people who shop there is that we have got a lot of heart — and a real, genuine love for books.”
Other staffers were added over time — all individuals who love books and who love to share them with others, including Krista Gilliam, the current store manager.
Today, Little Shop of Stories fills all sorts of niches in Decatur. It’s a community center where groups gather and locals post information on a large bulletin board. It’s a central location for a range of summer camps covering topics such as comic books and chess and “groovy girls.”
It’s a venue for local and national authors to speak, read and sign. It’s an art gallery at times. Or it’s a great place to hang out for a while, browsing the shelves to see what’s new.
And the store has run all of the children’s and teen’s programming for the Decatur Book Festival, a yearly event that brings many authors and book-related discussion sessions to the city. But most importantly, Little Shop is a bookstore — a hands-on bookstore with a personal touch. Whether you need a book for your dog-obsessed 5-year-old niece or an intriguing story for your reluctant-to-read teen son or a new selection for your neighborhood book group, the knowledgeable staff will have several suggestions.
And they’re not afraid to say they don’t like something either. They won’t push the latest and greatest bestseller on you just because it’s, well, the latest and greatest. They’ll help you dig through the stacks to find something you might not have noticed, an interesting up-and-coming author or just a story that won someone’s heart.
And Capriola notes that the best part of running Little Shop is “seeing how excited and turned on to reading we’ve gotten the kids in the community.” With a smile, she adds that she finds it amazing that she and her staff are treated like “rock stars” by their customers, young and old.
This winter, Little Shop is, as always, busy hosting events for all ages. The store recently beat out nearly 40 other independent bookstores to win a visit from author Neil Gaiman Dec. 14. Later in December, there’s the annual Polar Express party, as well as a visit from Santa himself. The Web site — www.littleshopofstories.com — has a calendar of events (including whether an RSVP is required), and you can sign up for a monthly e-mail reminder. Or simply swing by the store the next time you’re in Decatur and ask what’s up. The smiling person at the counter will be more than happy to give you a rundown.
Little Shop of Stories, 133A East Court Square, Decatur, 404-373-6300, www.littleshopofstories.com.
