A new woman-owned, independent bookstore is bringing almost 10,000 titles of all genres to the intersection of Hennepin and Central avenues.

Inkwell Booksellers Company will have its grand opening weekend Feb. 22-23 at 426 E. Hennepin Ave. on the ground floor of the Hencen Apartments.

Inkwell will carry books for adults and kids, graphic novels, locally-made art, merchandise, and more. A coffee counter near the entrance will serve Wesley Andrews espresso, Inkwell-branded drip coffee, and Rose Street Patisserie basked goods.

Owner Elizabeth Foster wants people to feel comfortable lingering at Inkwell, whether it’s to read, work, meet, or stare into the void.

“We really want the community to feel like this is their space as much as it is ours,” Foster told Downtown Voices. “We are encouraging people to come with book clubs, knitting groups–it's not just about books and coffee; it's about the community as a whole.”

Inkwell’s space will feature ample seating, including a lounge area with couches and armchairs at the front of the store, a long table at the center, and barstools around the coffee counter.

There’s even a rolling library ladder on a wall of shelves where bookworms can live out their Belle fantasy.

A mural by Twin Cities artist Tony Stafki spreads across the upper wall of Inkwell, which also displays covers of novels that are significant to Foster, including “Dune” by Frank Herbert and “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C. S. Lewis.

Foster wouldn’t be able to tell you her single favorite book of all time, because there are too many, but she’s prepared to recommend some of her recent favorites. One of them is “The Stars Too Fondly” by Emily Hamilton, which Foster describes as a space opera.

Foster loves everything about reading. “The smell of it, the feel of the book, the fact that you get to go someplace else and someone else for a bit,” she said. “I've always enjoyed reading as a way to escape.” 

Sections of Inkwell’s shelves will feature staff picks and books by local authors. There will also be shelf talkers with recommendations from booksellers throughout the store.

Foster plans to host book clubs and other gatherings at Inkwell. She organized a midnight release party for “Onyx Storm” last month at Whitney’s Old Town Saloon down the block and wants to do more of those kinds of events once her store opens.

Inkwell joins a small collection of indie bookstores in Northeast, but it’s among a handful that have opened across Minneapolis since the beginning of the COVID pandemic.

Inkwell will be open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.