Today we’d like to introduce you to Aimee Chipman.
Hi Aimee, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Bluestocking Bookshop started in September of 2019, just 6 months before the world shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic. I had worked on events and social media management for another bookstore previously, recognizing that the processes I was learning could be even more efficient, more inclusive, and more driven to getting books in people’s hands. So I opened a shop in an empty storefront within walking distance of my house. Despite the huge global hiccup at our start, we doubled our size in 2022, then again with our most recent move in August of 2025. We’ve created areas of our store that encourage people to linger and celebrate the hobby we all remembered we loved once we were able to slow down and stay home. The community continues to show us that they want us around, offering a space for gathering, reading, crafting, writing, and exploring our world through books.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
COVID notwithstanding, our shop has had a fairly smooth path. That may have more to do with being solidly rooted in our belief that there is a book for every person, that all knowledge is worth having, and that our humanity relies on our ability to explore through the freedom to read anything and everything we can access. There are those who disagree with us, but books are power, which makes us one of the most powerful places in town.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Bluestocking Bookshop?
Our bookstore operates lovingly on a “one-and-done” policy – if you see a book on our shelf today, snap it up, because it could be gone tomorrow with no guarantees of ever seeing it again. We award store credit for the books our community trade in (by appointment), empowering our neighbors to continue reading and building their worldview. We firmly believe that all knowledge is worth having, so we are set apart from other used bookstores in that we accept all undamaged and readable books no matter their age, and we list all inventory online so that our readers in Holland can help source books for readers in San Diego or San Antonio or Spain.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Holland has a unique love for locally owned businesses. We’ve watched chain restaurants leave as mom-and-pop bistros thrive. Lifting our neighbors that way makes for a fantastically diverse environment for shopping and eating. That said, we have long memories built on habits. It can make it hard for a new business to get a foothold when people drive to their favorite spots with blinders on – thinking about where we’re going instead of what’s along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bluestockingbookshop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluestocking.bookshop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluestocking.bookshop.holland
- Other: https://bookshop.org/shop/BluestockingBookNerd
