way— by unveiling an adjoining coffee shop, the Beanstalk Coffee Shop, on July 26 the following year.
They chose that name to keep in line with the book theme, Ranae said.“ Our whole menu is“ Jack and the Beanstalk”-named coffees, but they’ re just normal coffees, like your white chocolate mocha, your regular mocha, caramel,” Ranae said.“ We just spruced them up and gave them a name that we liked to keep our theme going.”
The coffee shop also has coffeethemed gift items, such as plushies, shirts, and chapsticks.
“ We also have travel mugs, which have both store logos on them,” Ranae said.
They also sell coffee by the bucket, or in a 32-ounce container, as well as muffins and baked goods made by Jennifer Salmons of Nana’ s Sweet Delights.
Besides books, the bookstore side has gifts and book-themed items: jigsaw puzzles, coloring books, Kindle cases, planners, calendars and shirts.
There’ s also a“ trucker hat bar” where patrons can customize a cap with different patches.
While Ranae and Jessica may be the owners, there is someone else around to whom the pair have to answer: Bo the Cat, who oversees the shop and makes sure everything is running by his rules. Bo often greets the guests who come into the shop – when he feels like it – and ensures the front room is of the perfect temperature by napping in his favorite spot.
“ He’ s popular, but he does not care if he’ s popular,” Jessica explained.
The book store sells homemade pottery mugs with Bo’ s likeness on them, as well as shirts with his face.
Other areas of the store include a room with books for children, tweens and teens; a“ library” which has plenty of seating for those who want to sit and chill out; and“ one little section of used books,” Ranae said, that is only three shelves worth.
Jessica stressed that the store does not buy used books from the public. Rather, the main purpose of the store is to sell new books.
Ranae added,“ We might not have everything that the big stores have or Amazon has, but if you want it, we can try to help you order it, and we can get it here.”
Ranae said she didn’ t start out in life interested in reading.
“ I never liked to read as a child,” she said.“ I hated it. But then, when I became pregnant with my son John, and getting his room ready and buying all the books that you can buy, and reading to him and his sister, and now my grandbabies, I started loving books.”
THE FUTURE OF INDUSTRY IN SOUTHERN KENTUCKY
IS HERE. somerset-pulaski county | kentucky
We changed the narrative.
By making business about people and building a better quality of life in Somerset-Pulaski County, The Capital of Lake Cumberland is thriving.
Top 100 Micropolitan City in America
Record-breaking numbers in new business investment, existing business expansion and tourism spending
Revitalized arts + entertainment centric downtown
Initiatives focused on building and supporting our workforce
Bo is the mascot for Books, Nooks and Crannies. Photo by Carla Slavey
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Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce www. somersetpulaskichamber. com 59