Small Business Spotlight: Inkwell Booksellers Company

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

We have a community treasure in Inkwell Booksellers Company, situated in the Hencen Apartments building at 426 E Hennepin in Old Town Minneapolis. We talked to founder Elizabeth Foster about her lifelong dream to own a bookstore, the community she is building around book events and collaborations, and the reasons you’ll find great holiday gifts here (hint: local authors, literary merch, etc!). Dogs are welcome while you shop or enjoy the café treats in a peaceful setting – heavenly!  

Q:  What inspired the creation of Inkwell Booksellers Company, and how did you decide on the name?

A:  I have always wanted to build a life around my love of books. It took me some time (and a few forays into other careers) to decide that owning a bookstore was the ultimate dream. About two years before we opened, I started doing my research and planning for Inkwell! The name was one of the trickier parts of that planning. I love a good pun and originally had a few name ideas based on literary puns. However, as my vision for the store evolved, I decided I wanted a name that reflected our mix of vintage decor and modern literature. Inkwell kept popping up for me when I looked into literature and printing techniques. After a few rounds of feedback from friends and family, Inkwell Booksellers Company stuck!

Elizabeth with Jack

Q:  What types of books or genres do you specialize in or try to highlight?

A:  We are a general interest bookstore, meaning we carry fiction of all kinds, non-fiction, and children’s books as well. We try to highlight our local authors as well as books that you may never have heard of.

Q:  You opened earlier this year - what’s the most rewarding part of being the proprietor of Inkwell Booksellers?

A:  We just passed our 9-month anniversary! The most rewarding part has been seeing people get excited when they find something new, especially when it is a book you already love. There is something magical about sharing the excitement about the books.

Q:  How do you see Inkwell’s role in the community?

A:  I see Inkwell as a gathering space and a safe space to build community. I want people to feel like this space is a place to gather and an oasis of sorts from the busy lives we all lead. 

Q:  Talk to us about the cafe experience at Inkwell?

A:  The experience at Inkwell's cafe is pretty relaxed. We have pottery and glass drinkware, which really invites you to sit down and relax. We love to connect with our customers and take the time to get to know our regulars. We are also dog friendly, so we see many people come in for pup cups!

Q:  What kinds of author events, readings, or community gatherings do you host?

A:  We host many types of events including readings by authors (many local!), book launch events, pop-ups with local makers and artists, as well as book clubs. We are working on scheduling more events each week, with an emphasis on local authors and artists to help highlight our amazingly creative community.

Q:  What have you noticed about the reading tastes of Minneapolis readers lately?

A:  Minneapolis has a lot of avid readers! 

Q:  What’s the biggest challenge independent bookstores face right now?

A:  Independent bookstores face many of the same issues a lot of small businesses face, including high rent and operation costs, online competition, and uncertainty of how supply chains and prices will be affected by tariffs. I think independent bookstores also face a lot of online competition. That being said, we also have the advantages of being a gathering space for people and being able to connect with our community in a way you can't replicate online.

Q:  What upcoming projects, events, or initiatives are you excited about?

A:  We are very excited to be able to increase the number of events we are hosting! One major goal for us is to bring in and spotlight more local authors and artists. We are doing that through author readings, book launch events, pop-up shops and more.

Q:  Are there collaborations with local artists, schools, or organizations that you’d like to highlight?

A:  We love to feature our local authors and dedicate a bookcase to them. We also worked with One Tired Artist to host an art vending machine starting last month. I would also like to highlight the organization we get our coffee from, Wildflyer Coffee. They are an incredible organization dedicated to ending youth homelessness and we are proud to do our small part to support them.

Q:  I imagine you’ll have holiday specials – what’s the best way to stay current with your news for specials, events, etc.?

A:  The best way is to follow our social media (Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @inkwellbooksellers) and our newsletter (you can sign up on our website)! In the cafe, we change our specials seasonally as well as have special drinks for holiday weeks, like Thanksgiving and the December holidays.