The external face of Clintonville Bookstore, which recently opened Friday. Credit: Courtesy of Clintonville Bookstore
High Street has a new space for students and book lovers alike.
Clintonville Books — located at 3286 N. High St. — opened on Black Friday, welcoming the community to explore its curated collection and inviting atmosphere. The shop is now open for regular business hours 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Tracy Ramey, a Clintonville Books employee, said the bookstore was designed with its community in mind, particularly college students, being in such close proximity to Ohio State’s main campus.
“We have purchased a lot of academic books from professors at [Ohio State], and we have a wide range of academia-related books that include gender studies, religion, philosophy, anthropology and arts,” Ramey said. “We definitely want to be a hub for students and professionals alike, and to sell them books that are not going to break the wallet.”
Grant Sabatier, owner of Clintonville Books, said the shop’s book selection distinguishes it from the rest.
“Our mixture of new, used and rare books sets us apart and allows us to curate a great collection of books,” Sabatier said.
Sabatier said the shop’s aesthetic is just as important.
“While I love sleepy, cluttered, dimly lit bookstores, I have a hard time seeing in them, so I wanted to bring some brighter energy to Clintonville Books,” Sabatier said. “I spent a lot of time designing the flow of the space to be airy and the lighting to feel more like an art gallery. I want the space to feel good, energizing and inspiring.”
Sabatier said he spent two years searching online for the perfect location to bring his vision to life. He finally settled on a century-old building with a rich, classic charm to launch his bookstore venture.
Sabatier and Ramey said the shop’s classic feel will also be home to community bookstore events, such as book signings, book readings, poetry readings and small acoustic shows.
“We already have a couple local authors slated to do some book signings, and this is from picture books all the way through middle grade,” Ramey said.
Sabatier said the overwhelming community support on opening day was encouraging, though ongoing patronage is crucial for the independent bookstore’s success.
“Everyone has been so supportive in the community and showed up when we opened,” Sabatier said. “The best way to support an independent bookstore is to buy books from them.”
Ramey said he agreed, noting that Clintonville has already shown itself to be the perfect spot for the new shop.
“Books are a novelty to some, and to others, their way of life,” Ramey said. “We just have to find the people that love books, and I think we found a great place in Clintonville.”
Sabatier said he hopes the shop will be a “space where everyone feels welcome and can find a book that interests them.”
For more information about the shop, visit its website.
