Bookends & Beginnings — Local services in Evanston Township

My kids and I went to the old location quite a lot, though admittedly not much in the last year. I felt it was bizarre that the owner started a GoFundMe for her for-profit business. I know times are tough, but I don't know why anyone would just give a business money. I'll shop there, but donate? It's not a non-profit with a mission devoted to teaching literacy or a person in need of help with medical bills after an unexpected medical emergency.

That said, after all the hoopla surrounding the store's move recently, I was eager to check out the new space. Unfortunately, I came away feeling that the old building is what actually made the bookstore special - not the collection or how it is run.

I walked in and, while there were 3 staff members on the floor, not a single one acknowledged me, let alone said Hi. And it wasn't because they were busy with other customers. They were just chatting with each other or looking at their screens. Wow, cold! Tried to find the new fiction section, which is buried weirdly in the front corner. As I browsed further, I realized the organization of the books feels random and hard to figure out, and the floor feels cramped and confusing.

The picture book section is separated from the rest of the kids books up on the street level floor. Which was OK, but it seemed like the collection is smaller now? Again, no one once asked me if I needed help or even looked at me while I was in there for 30 minutes. The staff were chatting with each other about 80s pop while ignoring the customers. Curious, I visited the basement level which is where they now randomly keep horror, YA, more children's books, and other genres, I think. And some random used books in what felt like a closet. The lighting down there was fluorescent and unwelcoming. And there was another staff member down there behind a desk not talking to anyone!

Being a new store, maybe these are growing pains (though I don't see how the customer service would have anything to do with that). It was very clean. And I love the new mural on the wall. But, overall experience: unwelcoming and...

This is quite possibly my favorite place in Evanston. I've had many great experiences here, but a recent one really amazed me. We came in shopping for a Christmas present for my cousin, and we didn't really have anything in mind. Everyone who works there is great, so my wife and I were chatting with the woman working the register and mentioned we didn't know where we were going to start, and she lept at the opportunity to help us find the perfect gift. She asked us to describe my cousin, and then she excitedly said she had a few ideas and ran off. A minute or two later she returned with 4 books, gave us mini-reviews for each, along for her rationale for why she thinks my cousin might enjoy it. And the choices were perfect, exactly what we were looking for (and chances aren't great that we would've picked nearly that well on our own).

Seriously, at the end of 2019, when independent brick and mortar stores are dropping like flies, can you remember a time where you had a retail experience like that? I was flooded, it was incredible - and yet it wasn't all that surprising, just because that's just the vibe they've got there. I'm not one of those big-time book guys, I don't look like I have a lot of money (and I don't), and yet somehow Bookends & Beginnings has become my happy place. I've never felt unwelcome, I've never felt rushed, the people who work there have a passion for books that's really contagious. I come in their with my kids sometimes (and they're not yet at reading age, and very energetic), and I swear, they love it there too.

Also, while they don't have a big game and puzzle section, they games and puzzles are really, really cool - it's not their main thing, but it's still fantastically curated. Just another cool thing here.

If you have the ability to spend time (and $) here, you'd be a...

I teach at a Montessori school and have brought small groups of students here before. We’ve always been welcomed and had a place to sit downstairs to have a short book discussion. This time as soon as we sat down around a table, we were “greeted” by the new events coordinator who asked with a very strained smile who we were and how long we’d be staying, and was told the library was the place “for things like this.” She was incredibly snobbish and patronizing, and my students and I felt both unwelcome and embarrassed. If I hadn’t already made my purchase, I would have put my books back and walked out. I’m disappointed that this is the direction this store is going. We sadly...