You are strolling along a road when suddenly you find a little shop by the name, “Hares & Hatters.” The name itself is quite intriguing to you and so you must go in to find out more. As you step into the space you are struck by that wonderful new book smell. You begin to feel the sense of magic and whimsy that surrounds these books.
The charming new bookstore’s name, Hares & Hatters, was born out of Co-owners Nicki Stanton and Jamie Wood’s desire to evoke the magic of stumbling upon a hidden gem in a European alley. Inspired by Lewis Caroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” the name stuck and became a beloved part of the store’s identity.
“I just kind of joined on a whim and really became super interested in this idea of having an independent bookstore in Pocatello, especially after traveling around and seeing all of the amazing things that bookstores do for their community,” Stanton said in an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio.
The idea for a business originally got its start online when Stanton and Wood only sold book boxes. It was during the pandemic, when shopping in stores was very difficult, so they started selling book boxes with different interesting themes. Themes such as “Mad Tea Party” and “Curiouser and Curiouser,” which sometimes came with snacks and extra activities for customers. The book boxes eventually proved to be too time-intensive, but their dream expanded into a real brick-and-mortar store.
“I really underestimated the amount of time and effort that it would take to redo the space. We touched every surface, we redid floors, ceiling, electrical,” Stanton said. “It took us about five weeks instead of four, but we were there every day doing construction. So, it’s amazing now being able to go into the space, lock the door and leave and not have to go home and scrub paint out of my hair.”
However, opening the store was no small feat. After finding a location for the store, they still had to renovate the whole space which made for a lot of late nights, according to Stanford. Then, they had to learn how to navigate the complexities of the bookselling industry, which they’re still trying to master. Although these challenges proved difficult, the community and other booksellers from the American Booksellers Association were there to help.
“We didn’t actually know how to get books, which is really funny. It took us about six months,” Stanton said. “I’d get onto these ABA conference calls and there’s all these seasoned booksellers talking about real problems and then I’d type my question, ‘How do you guys buy books?’ And so, it was a really funny process.”
Hares & Hatters isn’t just about selling books. It’s about fostering community in their town. Stanton shared her excitement about the store’s social atmosphere, comparing it to Pocatello’s Costco, where neighbors always seem to be running into each other and catching up. The bookstore has already hosted some local vendors and plans on holding several author visits and book signings in its future.
“We have two authors that are already scheduled to come in August. We’re really excited about that,” Stanton said. “We’ve had other authors reach out and we’re just trying to find a good fit with schedules and times. We’re interested in local authors.”
The enchanting Hares & Hatters Bookshop welcomes visitors from all around to visit its location at 200 South Main, Suite G in Pocatello. For those who prefer online shopping, the store offers a fully functional online bookstore at haresandhattersbookshop.com. You can also follow them on Instagram and Facebook at harresandhattersbookshop.