This Two-Story Nebraska Bookstore Is Packed With 50,000 Used Books And Two Resident Cats Who Run The Place
Two cats named Charlie and Cricket help run a Nebraska bookstore stacked with roughly 50,000 used, rare and out-of-print books. That’s a lot of pages for two furry managers to supervise.
The shelves fill two full floors in the heart of a busy downtown. Upstairs and downstairs, the stock keeps changing, so no two visits turn up quite the same finds, and I like that kind of gamble.
The staircase is painted to look like a stack of old books, which feels like a wink on the way down. Downstairs, a gargoyle named Fritz even changes outfits.
I believe every book lover needs one shop that feels like a treasure hunt with a purr attached. This one started with two college seniors and an unheated basement, so how did it land downtown?
Two Floors Of Paper Treasure Wait In Downtown Lincoln
Downtown Lincoln has plenty of places to grab a meal, but A Novel Idea Bookstore offers a different kind of feast. It’s an independent shop built around used, rare and out-of-print books.
The store sits right in the middle of the city’s downtown, close enough to everything that a quick stop feels easy. A quick stop rarely stays quick once you see how much is packed inside.
Books fill two floors here, with an upstairs and a downstairs to explore. The collection changes constantly, so the shelf you browsed last month may look brand new today.
That turnover is part of the fun. A used bookstore rewards curiosity, and this one keeps handing out fresh reasons to look again.
New books show up too, mixed in among the secondhand stock. You’ll also find literary gifts, from puzzles to candles, near the front of the shop.
For Nebraska readers, it’s the kind of place that turns an errand downtown into an afternoon. Bring a list if you like, though the shelves have their own ideas.
The mood leans cozy, crowded and a little magical. Then there are the cats, but they deserve their own section.
A College Dream That Started In A Chilly Basement
Back in 1991, two college seniors decided the world needed another bookstore. Cinnamon Dokken and Bryan Peterson founded A Novel Idea that year with plenty of ambition.
Their first home wasn’t glamorous. The shop opened in the unheated basement of an old warehouse, which sounds like a true test of reader loyalty.
Winter in Nebraska doesn’t exactly cooperate with cold basements. So it’s no shock the store didn’t stay there long.
In 1992, the bookstore moved to its present spot in downtown Lincoln. That move gave the books more room and the shop a much more visible address.
Two years later, in 1994, Cinnamon Dokken became the sole proprietor. She has guided the store ever since, through years of remodeling and steady growth.
I like how the whole story feels so human-sized. Nobody needed a big chain or a giant budget, just books and stubbornness.
More than three decades later, the store is still here and still changing. The downstairs area has been redone over time, and the building keeps evolving with the collection.
Not bad for a business that once needed a warm sweater to browse.
Roughly 50,000 Books Means You Should Clear Your Afternoon
Fifty thousand books is a number that’s hard to picture until you’re standing among them. A Novel Idea Bookstore lists roughly that many used, rare and out-of-print titles across its two floors.
Shelves rise high and aisles run snug. Organization keeps the stacks manageable, though the sheer volume still makes browsing feel like an expedition.
The range covers a lot of ground. Mysteries, history, young adult reads and children’s books all have a place on the shelves.
Poetry gets solid attention too. Downstairs, the basement holds a strong mix of history and nonfiction for readers who like their pages factual.
Out-of-print titles are the real temptation. Those are the books you can’t simply order online with one click, so finding one feels like winning something.
Weathered paperbacks share space with older, collectible editions. That mix means a casual reader and a serious collector can both leave happy.
Plan on more time than you think. An hour can slip away before you’ve finished one wall, and nobody’s rushing you.
Honestly, the hardest part is deciding what fits in your arms. A tote bag might be the smartest thing you bring.
Stained Glass And A Staircase Disguised As Old Books
Look down before you head to the lower level. The staircase at A Novel Idea is painted to resemble old books, so each step looks like a stacked spine.
It’s a playful touch that sets the tone. Even the route between floors gets to join the story.
Up top, custom-designed stained glass windows add color to the room. They give the shop a warm, storybook feel that suits all those vintage covers.
Then there’s the counter. It’s made of oak and paired with lit glass shelving, which shows off special items like a small museum display.
Wood, glass and soft light work well together here. The space feels crafted rather than thrown together, even with books stacked everywhere.
None of it feels fussy, though. The details are fun to notice, but the books still run the show.
I can’t imagine a better entrance to a basement full of history titles. Painted spines leading to real ones just makes sense.
Small design choices like these are why the shop feels personal. Someone clearly cared about how a reader moves through the space, one step at a time.
Charlie And Cricket Handle Customer Relations, Sort Of
Every great bookstore needs management, and this one hired cats. Charlie and Cricket are the resident felines at A Novel Idea Bookstore, and they often greet visitors.
Don’t expect reading recommendations from them. Their skills lean more toward napping, posing and accepting ear scratches.
The front window holds a cat tree that catches the sunshine. It’s prime real estate for a feline supervisor watching downtown go by.
Cats show up as a huge part of the shop’s identity. Families with kids and grown-ups who simply miss their own pets at home both get a happy bonus here.
Charlie and Cricket aren’t the only characters, either. Downstairs lives Fritz, a gargoyle who changes outfits from time to time.
That’s a delightfully odd detail. A dressed-up gargoyle keeping watch over the nonfiction is exactly the kind of quirk that sticks in your memory.
Allergic readers may want to keep the cats in mind before visiting. Everyone else should probably budget a few extra minutes for petting.
Somehow, the animals make the stacks feel even cozier. A sleepy cat next to a shelf of old novels just looks right.
Puzzles, Tarot And Chocolate For The Reader Who Has Everything
Gift shopping for a bookworm can get tricky when they already own half a library. A Novel Idea solves that with a solid selection of literary gifts.
Puzzles and games sit alongside stickers and magnets. Tarot decks and candles add a little mood to the mix.
Then there are the artisanal chocolate bars. Pairing a good mystery with a treat feels like a plan nobody needs to overthink.
Bookmarks, tea, pins and totes have also joined the lineup. A tote is especially handy once your stack of used finds starts growing.
Book-themed candles are a fun touch. They let a reader bring a bit of that bookstore coziness home to a reading nook.
These items make the shop useful beyond the shelves. Birthdays, holidays and thank-you gifts all get easier when one stop covers both the book and the extras.
Gift cards are another easy option for the indecisive. The lucky recipient gets the fun of choosing from thousands of titles.
Honestly, it’s hard to leave with just one thing. A paperback and a puzzle seem to travel together naturally, like old friends heading out the door.
Plan Your Downtown Trip Around These Open Days
Timing matters a little here. A Novel Idea Bookstore stays closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so save your visit for later in the week.
Wednesday through Saturday, the doors open from late morning until early evening. Sunday brings shorter afternoon hours for a slower weekend browse.
You’ll find the shop at 118 N 14th St, Lincoln, NE 68508. That puts it right in downtown Lincoln, within easy reach of the surrounding shops and restaurants.
Parking downtown works like most city centers, so give yourself a few minutes to find a spot. A short walk past the storefronts is part of the charm anyway.
Can’t make it in person? The store has offered curbside pickup and shipping, which helps readers elsewhere in Nebraska get their hands on a find.
Events also pop up on the calendar from time to time. Checking ahead before a visit is a smart move, since schedules can shift.
Give yourself at least an hour once inside. Two floors of shelves don’t reward a rushed visit.
Day-trippers can easily pair a stop here with lunch nearby. That’s an afternoon that costs little beyond the books you can’t resist.
Why Book Lovers Keep Finding Their Way Back
Some shops sell books, and some feel like a character in your own story. A Novel Idea lands firmly in the second group.
It suits all kinds of readers. Collectors hunting out-of-print titles, students on a budget and families with curious kids all have something to chase.
Even reluctant readers might get pulled in. Cats, painted stairs and a costumed gargoyle make a pretty convincing pitch.
Space runs a little snug between the stacks. That’s part of the old-school charm, though, and it makes every aisle feel like a small discovery.
I like how the store has stayed true to itself for more than three decades. From a chilly basement to a two-floor downtown fixture, the mission never wandered far from books.
The staff carries a friendly, knowledgeable reputation that fits the cozy setting. A good suggestion can send you toward a title you’d never have spotted.
For Nebraskans who love a repurposed afternoon with a payoff, this one delivers. You leave with a bag of books and probably a little cat hair.
Go on a quiet weekday if you can. Then let the shelves, and Charlie and Cricket, do the rest.
