Bookstore hosts fair for adult readers

The Christmas shopping season is in full swing so what better way to shop than with food and beverages? On Thursday, Dec. 15, The Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop (TWJ) hosted "Goodies for Grownups" at Cimmini's Italian restaurant in Niwot, featuring both food and books. TWJ assistant manager Alison Cave said the event was a great success and they hope to offer another book fair in the spring.

"We were hoping to reignite the feeling of a book fair from elementary school," Cave said. "But for grown-ups." Cave said of Cimmini's, "It was the perfect spot to have it. A great space with wonderful food."

The bookstore set up shop in the back room at the restaurant and Cimmini's provided appetizers to nibble on while people shopped. There were also book-themed cocktails offered, including the Margarita Atwood, Bearded Mojito, and Bloody Stephen. "It was so much fun to look out over the restaurant and see people 'oohing and aahing' over their new books," Cave said.

Opened in the summer of 2021, TWJ was founded by Jerilyn Patterson and Carissa Mina, both writers and avid readers. Although generally known as a children's bookstore, TWJ has always carried books for adults. And they've recently expanded their selection, partially in preparation for the book fair.

Cave said that people stopping in at the store encouraged them to carry more books for adult readers. "We had people say, 'We don't have kids to buy for, but we really want to support you,'" Cave explained. Now, TWJ not only carries many books for adult readers but it also hosts a quarterly book club for adults, The Second Avenue Book Club.

The store regularly hosts events for kids including weekly storytime, author readings, writing workshops and craft making. "Niwot truly is a magical place" Cave intoned. "I had family visiting from New York at Thanksgiving," Cave stated, "and they said, 'You really work in a movie set.'"

For more information on The Wandering Jellyfish and upcoming events, visit them at https://www.twjbookshop.com/ or check out the shop at 198 2nd Avenue.