Evanston’s Middles Used Books completed its first chapter Thursday.
Celebrating its first anniversary, owner Nina Barrett (Medill ’87) said the store has been a rousing success.
“We have a constant demand to trade in more than we can actually handle over there,” Barrett said.
Middles isn’t Barrett’s first literary endeavor. The store is an extension of Bookends & Beginnings, which opened in 2014 after the Bookman’s Alley, another local bookstore, closed its doors. Bookends & Beginnings had always had a used book section, but when the store moved into its current location at 1620 Orrington Ave. in 2023, space concerns demanded an independent space for used books, Barrett said. This gave Barrett the idea for Middles, which is three doors down at 1630 Orrington Ave.
Barrett said both stores have provided a helpful “third space” — a social location separate from work and home — to Evanston residents. She said the ability to enter a space where you can “immerse yourself in a book” is a boon to the community.
Bookseller Jessica Fisher attributed the store’s success to good relationships with her coworkers.
“It was a lot of learning curve,” she said. “Luckily, I was able to bring on my colleague Eli (Manion), who had the same kind of experiences as I did. The two of us have really been able to work together to bring about a great system, and I think we’ve gotten it to a really good place.”
Fisher said the past year working at Middles has gone by quickly and called the working environment “a lot of fun.”
Manion has been working at the store since its opening. For them, sustainability is a major benefit in having a local used bookstore.
“Anytime that books are kept out of landfills is a good thing,” Manion said.
Middles also has something for every book collector, Barrett said. According to her, books from all time periods have passed through the store already, including some from the 19th century. She explained how the ability to sell used books at a lower price allowed for more “depth of selection” in the titles available in the store.
She added that although she doesn’t have any plans for expanding either of her bookstores, any efforts toward expansion will be put into Middles.
Barrett also stressed the importance of supporting small businesses in Evanston, which she credits for Middles’ success.
“We’re here, but we’re only here because people shop here and spend money here,” Barrett said.
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