Social media helps local resident open The Book Nook in downtown Warren
After the success of her TikTok account dedicated to reading, Katelyn Matusky started a bookstore in Warren for independent authors to sell their work.
Matusky’s active on one of the TikTok subcommunities dubbed Booktok, where she’s known online as Kmchaosbookreads.
“I never expected it to get as big as it did,” she said. “I was looking for a way to support my indie authors while also getting out of healthcare and spending more time with my kids. I decided, since I had my social media, I might as well do something with it and open a bookstore.”
Matusky started her business online, solely dedicated to selling books published by indie authors, which quickly began to grow.
“Most of the authors that I started with, I already knew from Booktok. I’d either read and reviewed their books, beta-read for them, or just knew them from being on TikTok,” Matusky said. “I made a post looking for authors, and tons of people flooded me with wanting to be in the store. When I started looking at opening the storefront, I wanted local authors, so once I found a few, they’ve started branching out and telling all of their other friends and the local groups about me, so that I can get more and more local authors in here.”
On June 1, Matusky opened the doors to The Book Nook at 222 E Market St., close to Courthouse Square in downtown Warren. The Book Nook is open from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Saturday.
“I built every single bookshelf myself and hung everything up on the walls,” Matusky said. “It took us a full month, literally, from when I signed the papers on May 1 to when I opened June 1; we were still doing things the night before. It’s definitely surpassed my expectations. I have tons of seating space, like I definitely want people to come in. That’s why I chose The Book Nook; I wanted it to be a comfortable, welcoming and cozy place.”
When choosing the name for her shop, Matusky said she was not aware there used to be a bookstore with the same name on Elm Road in Warren.
“I had no idea,” she said. “This was years and years ago, but it’s kind of like they’re going through me and reopening it for you guys.”
The Book Nook offers various genres, including Christian fiction, nonfiction, poetry, fantasy, romance and science-fiction.
“Indie authors are all probably writing in your local coffee shops or bookstores, so they’re definitely putting money out in the community. They’re publishing themselves, so they’re not going out and spending money with traditional publishers. They’re doing everything themselves, from artwork to their cover, like their character art, their cover and most of them try to choose editors locally, so the whole process brings funds in locally,” Matusky said. “You’re supporting the local authors, local bookstores, coffee shops and everybody in the whole entire process.”
