Pudd'nhead Books: A Real Life Shop Around the Corner In Webster

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replying the story in its archived form does not constitute a re-publiccation of the story.

It has only been four months since they opened their doors, but already Pudd'nhead Books, an independent bookseller in Webster Groves, is quickly becoming an ideal, neighborhood book store a'la the Shop Around the Corner (or You've Got Mail for the younger crowd). Store owner Nikki Furrer didn't inherit the shop, but judging by the way her store has already gelled with the neighborhood you would hardly guess that the shop is a new kid on the block.

There are many books that have made their way to her shelves based on what her customers and other independent bookseller's recommend. For example, Nikki added knitting books and a series of gardening books to her stock at her customer's urging and they have been flying off the shelves. She is also in the process of ordering art books that only cost $10 that she thinks will be great for Webster University students. Nikki said, "The inventory is just 1/2 what I think are among the greatest books, and half what Webster would like."

From the moment you walk into the cozy shop, which is filled with antique tables and overstuffed couches, you are invited to explore different authors and genres by the store's creative categorization and displays. The book superstores are setup for finding specific titles and authors, which you can do at Puddn'head as well, but the bookshelves here are adorned with distinct sections for "Hardboiled" and "Noir/Gothic" mystery novels that would normally be shelved in a general "Mystery" section. In addition to the sub-genre labeling of the shelves Nikki also invites readers to find something new by displaying collections of books with unique themes. Displays called "Funny Novels According to the British," and "Kid's Books for Adults" are dotted throughout the store.

The community not only impacts the titles she carries she has also setup a number Webster specific displays in the store. In the "Good Books for Good" section books that are related to a charitable cause are displayed together and 10% of the purchase price is given to that month's selected charity. During March an organization called The Next Step, which provides assistance to families impacted by drug and alcohol issues, benefits from the sale of the books "Beautiful Boy," "Wishful Drinking," and "Smashed" to name a few. Nikki also has a section dedicated to "Webster's Bestsellers," where she puts a local spin on those best seller lists and displays what people in the neighborhood are reading.

Puddn'head Books is self described as, "a well-curated selection of books." Besides working closely with the neighborhood to find books, the Nikki's selections for the store can rightly round that "well-curated" moniker out. After completing a degree in English at Washington University, she went on to a publishing program in New York and worked at a literary agency there helping to discover new authors. She said she only did that because she wasn't running the bookstore. She returned to St. Louis last year and opened the store that following October. She explained, "There is nothing else in the world I want to do."

Pudd'nhead Books is located at 37 Old Orchard Center in Webster Groves. They are open Monday through Saturday from 9am until 8pm, and Sunday from 10am until 5pm.