Downtown Muncie is about to say “Hello!” to a new business. Shop owner Keely Malone is working hard to bring her childhood dream to life.
“Owning a bookstore in general started out as a dream of mine since I was five years old,” Malone said. “I’ve been obsessed with books, libraries and bookstores basically my whole life.”
Ink Drinkers Anonymous, which began in June of 2022, is the newest edition to this complex located on East Charles St. Their goal is to bring something new and different to the community. Malone strives to keep an inventory of literature from a variety of authors.
“I kind of evaluated what the stores have here in Muncie and was like, ‘What can I bring that we don’t necessarily have in our bookstores here?’” Malone said. “And that was diversity. Authors of different races, backgrounds, ethnicities, nationalities. So that became the focus with the BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, People of Color], the self-published authors and the local Hoosier authors.”
Something else that sets Ink Drinkers apart from the rest is their “Blind Date” deal. Customers can order a book based on genre, giving them the opportunity to be surprised by a new piece of literature. Malone said it takes the complication out of looking for a book. You get minimal details and it keeps your interest when you grab it.
Malone has been working hard to remodel and prepare for the grand opening of her shop. The support she has seen so far has been overwhelming.
“So far, they [the community] have been very open and very helpful in not only supporting me but getting the word out about the bookstore. [They’ve also been] getting involved and helping get everything together. I have a really good outlook on what the future has with working with the community,” Malone said.
The rest of the complex is prepared to embrace her. Heather Perry of the H Ahindman & Co-Salon is especially excited to have a local store so close to her own business.
“I’m really excited to have a bookstore downtown. It seems like a really long time since we’ve had an independent bookstore. I love books. I imagine I’ll be spending a lot of time in the bookstore,” Perry said.
The grand-opening is scheduled for March 17. In the meantime, members of the community can follow along for updates on the Ink Drinkers Anonymous Facebook page.
Contact Olivia Sloniker at omsloniker@bsu.edu with any questions.
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