Kori Lewandowski, owner of The Crafty Reader in Milford, is a “mood reader,” selecting what strikes her fancy. Lately that includes romance, fantasy and historical fiction. Courtesy of Kori Lewandowski
Kori Lewandowski loves books. She also loves crafts.
And whenever family members and friends asked what she wanted to do with her life, if cost were no object, “it’s always been to open a bookstore.”
And so she finally is.
Lewandowski is opening The Crafty Reader, a bookstore also selling crafts, in downtown Milford.
The Crafty Reader is scheduled to open Aug. 30 at 39 N. Walnut St. in Milford. She plans to be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, with that schedule tweaked as she evaluates sales.
“After almost a year of careful research, planning and looking for the perfect location (and many more years of dreaming), I can finally announce that I am opening an independent bookstore, featuring a selection of new and used books as well as handmade craft goods from local artists!” she wrote on Facebook.
Lewandowski grew up in Bridgeville and still lives there. “The closest bookstore was always 40 minutes away, in Salisbury or at the beach.” That was frustrating.
“Milford was the first place that drew my eye,” she said, noting that she also looked at locations in western Sussex County, such as Laurel and Seaford. “Something kept drawing me back to Milford. It really was the welcoming community.”
She also gave a shoutout to Ben Muldrow of Arnett Muldrow & Associates for his graphics work and mentoring by Mickie Meinhardt of The Buzzed Word in Ocean City and Liz Decker of Caprichos Books in Ocean Pines, both in Maryland.
Lewandowski earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Delaware, and early in the pandemic she started graduate studies in social work at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania “I liked it, but it was not the time,” she said.
About the same time, she started a jewelry business (“Crafting is near and dear to my heart”) and encountered other artisans who were wishing for some sort of permanent space to display and sell their creations, as contrasted to weekend shows.
More than books
That’s why she’s making space in The Crafty Reader for artisans, changing the lineup on a month to month basis.
When she opens, she’ll have a small selection of her crocheted items and jewelry and is starting to get other artisans arranged.
The store will also start with a selection of used books donated by family and friends, offering what she called “a cool sneak peek into what they like.”
Lewandowski is a “mood reader,” selecting what strikes her fancy. Lately that includes romance, fantasy and historical fiction.
Mixing books with other items is a common business model.
That’s what Meinhardt does at The Buzzed Word, which is a bookstore, wine store and wine bar.
That combo is needed to compete against big-box retailers who may lose money on books and make it up in other merch, Lewandowski said.
“I don’t think that anyone who runs a bookstore does it to get rich,” she said.
“I’m opening it for the love in my heart for reading”
“Dreamers. They help make communities special!” Edward Anthony Lewandowski wrote on Facebook.
“Congratulations to my younger daughter Kori on pursuing her dream of owning an independent bookstore that also features unique, handcrafted gifts.”
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