EMMAUS, Pa. — No, Let's Play Books is not closing its doors, owner Kirsten Hess says.
But it may be transforming.
This weekend, the Emmaus children's bookstore celebrates its 10th anniversary with events, sales and even cake.
The anniversary comes as some word spread that the store would be closing.
That's not the full story, owner Kirsten Hess said.
"We are not closing — we are exploring options."Let's Play Books owner Kirsten Hess
As the business celebrates a decade in operation, owners will ask the community what shape its Emmaus location should take as it considers a tough decision about how best to move forward — be it staying as its is, focusing on certain efforts, or finding a new location.
"We are not closing — we are exploring options," Hess said.
"I think the bottom line is post-COVID, in the new world of point-and-click and immediate gratification, that we have to determine what physical spaces matter.
"And I have to make this matter, otherwise there's no point in having a retail rent. It just doesn't make any sense at all."
Small bookstores are struggling
Across the country, small independent bookstores such as Let's Play Books struggled in recent years because of e-commerce pressure and a lack of retail sales during the coronavirus pandemic.
But those at Let's Play Books were not deterred, and opened a second location in South Whitehall Township last year, focused on books for adults, titled The End.
The new location already has been host to popular author events, such as humorist David Sedaris, and offers a single-floor open retail experience.
The store also operates the Lehigh Valley Book Festival, which started in 2019.
Hess said comparatively, Let's Play Books is seeing less success as a standard retail operation, but has every intention of figuring out how best to support the location going forward.
"It's just been eye-opening by opening The End, that The End is becoming so successful, that it makes us question what should we be doing with Let's Play Books. That's all — that's a good problem."<br/>Kristen Hess
"It's just been eye-opening by opening The End, that The End is becoming so successful, that it makes us question what should we be doing with Let's Play Books," Hess said.
"That's all — that's a good problem.
"Because the world constantly changes and we need to stay relevant and we need to figure out how to sustain ourselves. And that is what good business does."
Seeking a new future
Let's Play Books' business as a whole was up 31% in sales between its two locations and online operation — but the majority was web sales and at The End, Hess said.
About 78% of customers from Let's Play Books now are choosing the new location as their primary store, something Hess said "has completely thrown us."
"I'm exploring a lot of options. Everything from creating a nonprofit [to run the Lehigh Valley Book Festival], to opening a lending library and an after-school location, to an art center."Let's Play Books owner Kirsten Hess
Hess said she thinks the Emmaus location, currently focused on children's books and more intimate events, still adds value — but she's not sure what it looks like going forward.
"I'm exploring a lot of options," she said. "Everything from creating a nonprofit [to run the Lehigh Valley Book Festival], to opening a lending library and an after-school location, to an art center.
"There's so many options, but I want community input to see what we kind of need and what people may value because what I do know is that the three floors of that building is challenging to run as a retail store."
Hess said she did not realize the challenge until The End opened — such as the challenge of cleaning and maintenance, loss from theft and limitations to accessibility that the three-floor operation creates.
She also mentioned the possibility of finding a new one-floor location as a result of those difficulties.
She said a decision about the future of Let's Play Books would be made in early May at the earliest, following community conversations — starting this weekend at their 10th-anniversary celebrations.
10th anniversary event
The weekend will be hold a 10% off sale (20% for members) Saturday and Sunday, and a silent auction of bookish items — such as a signed special edition of Stephen King's "Joyland" and signed first edition Michael Connelly novels.
The bookstore will celebrate with two “toasts” to community members at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the latter also including cake.
"I have children that I've seen grow up over 10 years in my store, and it makes me emotional thinking about it."Let's Play Books owner Kirsten Hess
Hess said she and her family would be there in an effort to connect with community members about shared memories, and also have what could be tough conversations on how they can best serve the community where the bookstore got its start.
"I have children that I've seen grow up over 10 years in my store, and it makes me emotional thinking about it," Hess said.
She said it felt like just a year ago when it held its grand opening on Main Street in Emmaus in 2014, then in 2016 moved to its current location at 244 Main St.
"Then it slowly morphed into working with schools and librarians and then working with national author tours, and it just kept getting bigger and bigger yet," Hess said.
"I want to remember why we started which is connection, which is putting a kid on your lap and reading a book and what that symbolizes because that's so much greater than literacy."
Upcoming author events by the company include:
- Kacen Callendar, Feb. 6 at The End: a bookstore
- A.F. Steadman, Feb. 14 at Wescosville Elementary and Let’s Play Books Bookstore
- Adam Gidwitz, Feb. 28 at Eyer Middle School
- Lehigh Valley Book Festival, March 20–24.
