When Jamie Ericson first heard that The Book Table was closing, she felt an immediate sense of loss. The beloved independent bookstore had been a cornerstone of Oak Park’s literary community, and the thought of the neighborhood without a local bookshop was, in her words, “just too sad.”
But rather than dwell on the disappointment, she decided to do something about it.
“I’ve always been a big reader, and I have been working on writing for kids, too,” she said. “I worked with words my whole career in different ways — educational publishing, e-commerce copy editing, and children’s writing.
“My husband and I,” she added, “we’ve been able to start a new business and try to fill the need in this community, because I felt like it was, I’m just too sad not to have a bookstore here.”
As Ericson, her husband, and her 9-year-old son cut the red ribbon by the shop’s glass façade on Oak Park Avenue, and on January 29, Dandelion Bookshop was born. The shop, with its sage green shelves, and welcoming vibe, is a labor of love for the Ericsons, who have experience launching startups. Together, they worked to create a space that not only sells books, but also fosters a sense of literary community.
When it came to naming the shop, Ericson said she wanted something meaningful.
“Dandelions represent hope and resilience,” she explained. “The seeds represent wishes. They’re playful, but they’re also stubborn and hard to get rid of. I thought that was a good model for us to follow.”
Ericson said she aims for the shop to be a gathering space where readers and writers could connect.
“We had a survey up when we first signed our lease — there was a QR code in the window, and we got a lot of responses from people with their ideas,” she said. “Eventually, this room in the back will be a community space with a table and chairs for writing groups, book clubs and maybe kids’ classes.”
One of the distinguishing features of Dandelion Bookshop is its children’s section.
“At one point, I thought about having only kids’ books because that’s my favorite thing,” Ericson said. “But then I realized there would be nothing for the grown-ups, so we’re doing both.”
The shop’s shelves are still evolving, with room for new releases and customer requests. Ericson said that she is open to working with local readers and writers. They can reach out to her through the contact form on the shop’s website, or simply through stopping by.
“We’re excited to work with local people and there seems to be a lot of collaboration happening here,” Ericson said.
The shop is making efforts to collaborate with local schools and libraries. Ericson’s son attends the John Greenleaf Whittier after-school program at District 97, and she has been volunteering in his school’s library, she said.
“That experience has been such a good education in seeing what kids are reading. I met with the district’s librarians earlier this month and let them know we can do bulk ordering or anything they need for the schools. And I’m meeting with someone from the public library next week.”
Although the store is still finding its footing, Ericson said she is excited about the possibilities.
“Anything people can’t find on our shelves; we can order for them. We’re not as big as The Book Table was, but we can get books in a couple of days. The shop will keep evolving based on what our customers are looking for.”
Ericson said that she and her husband, Kurt are working on setting up the website so customers can purchase tax-exempt books using school identification numbers.
“I’m so glad that we’re able to because my husband has built all of the text stuff himself. He can just code it to make it work”
Dandelion Bookshop carries new books only.
“We’re only doing new books because there is a used bookstore in Oak Park still, so I figure we can both coexist together,” Ericson said.
For extra fun, the shop offers its special merch and notebooks for purchase, and working on the possibility of selling gift cards.
With a warm and inviting atmosphere, a strong commitment to community engagement, and a deep love of literature, Dandelion Bookshop is set to become a cherished fixture for all the book lovers in the area.
For more information visit: https://dandelionbookshop.com
