10/11/2026
When I sat down to write the business plan for this space, I knew exactly what I wanted to create.
I wanted a space where people felt seen. Where stories could challenge us, connect us, and remind us that our experiences matter. Where kids could grow up knowing there was a place in their community that celebrated exactly who they were.
I wanted to build something that mattered.
Over the past year, you’ve shown me just how much a place like this can mean to people.
I’ve watched people walk through our doors unsure whether they belonged and leave knowing they did. I’ve watched our community show up for conversations that weren’t always easy, celebrate stories that deserve to be told, and make room for one another in ways that have genuinely changed me.
This vision has grown into something much bigger than I ever imagined.
Now, we’re making one of the biggest commitments we’ve made since opening our doors.
We are incredibly proud to announce that Danielle is joining us full-time as our Director of Operations + Growth! 🥹
This is our first full-time leadership position. It’s a major investment in the future of our business, our team, and everything we’re working to create in Jefferson City.
Danielle brings professional experience, leadership, and a perspective that will be invaluable as we enter this next chapter. She’ll be overseeing our daily operations, book buying, inventory, team development, and helping us create the infrastructure to support our growth.
She’ll also be instrumental in expanding our product development, production, wholesale opportunities, and some very exciting projects we have planned for 2027.
book/shop, etc. is proudly queer-led, neurodivergent-led, and disability-led. With Danielle joining our leadership team, those lived experiences remain an intentional and important part of who we are.
We both bring lived experiences that influence how we see the world, how we approach leadership, and what we believe businesses can be.
We understand the importance of spaces where people can exist without having to explain, minimize, or apologize for who they are.
We understand that creating those spaces takes more than hanging a Pride flag in the window.
It takes showing up. Having difficult conversations. Making thoughtful decisions. Protecting access to stories. Supporting people whose voices are too often dismissed. And being willing to stand behind our values even when doing so would be easier to avoid.
Our commitment to being a safe, affirming space is foundational to this business.
As we grow, so will that commitment.
We want to create meaningful employment opportunities where people are valued for what they bring to the table. We want to continue advocating for intellectual freedom and the right to read. We want to bring experiences to Jefferson City that encourage connection, creativity, empathy, and understanding.
And we want this bookstore to be here for a very, very long time.
That’s what this announcement is really about.
Sustainability.
Because I think we sometimes forget what it takes to keep an independent space like this alive.
A full-time leadership position is an enormous financial commitment for a small business. It’s also an investment in creating a company that can support its people, grow responsibly, and continue giving back to the community that helped build it.
We’re making that investment because we believe in what we’re creating.
And we’re trusting our community to help us sustain it.
When you purchase a book from us, preorder an upcoming release, attend an event, bring a friend, share one of our posts, or recommend our store to someone new, you’re doing something much bigger than supporting a transaction.
You’re helping create jobs.
You’re helping keep an independent bookstore in Jefferson City.
You’re helping make author visits, inclusive programming, community partnerships, and new creative opportunities possible.
You’re helping ensure that the next person who needs a place like this has somewhere to find it.
Your support makes the difference between having a vision for our community and being able to actually build it.
I don’t take that responsibility lightly.
On a personal note, Danielle is one of my closest friends. Having someone I love and trust step into this role is incredibly meaningful. But what excites me most is knowing that she brings strengths, experience, and ideas that will make this business better.
This is an opportunity for both of us to grow as leaders, to challenge each other, and to build something neither of us could create quite the same way alone.
I am proud of what we’ve accomplished.
I’m even more excited about what comes next.
To everyone who has believed in this bookstore, spent money here, shared our story, attended an event, or simply walked through our doors and felt a little more at home, this next chapter is possible because of you.
I hope you’ll continue growing with us.
With so much love and gratitude,
Lauren
