Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Matt Grossmann.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hooked, a bookstore and community space housing a coffee shop and wine bar, is a company founded by Dr. Matt Grossmann and Dr. Sarah Reckhow, married professors at Michigan State University. Hooked aims to establish a local literary culture, guiding the Lansing region toward lifelong learning, building taste in enjoying the good life, and keeping up with current issues in a community conversation.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Hooked is both a retail shop and cafe near Michigan State University, so we have to accommodate long-term studies, quick pick-up orders, and book browsing all in one space. It makes the place lively but also means we have to accommodate everyone with different uses at once. We are also open 80 hours/week, but we have had a great staff to make it all come together.
As you know, we’re big fans of Hooked. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Come to Hooked to meet for coffee or wine flights, join a book club, or explore new interests with guided readings and talks. From taking up a new hobby or craft to learning a new subject like Michigan history, customers rely on us for following through on budding ideas. Our other main product lines (coffee and wine) are also accompanied by learning opportunities, with approachable information on options and next steps for exploration. We help expand horizons. We offer premium products for living the good life in an inviting environment for those who want to develop and nurture their own tastes. The space enables the community to come together in events and in conversation. Opportunities for local engagement are dwindling with declining civic infrastructure. Customers can meet local and national authors, engage with attentive readers, and have conversations over coffee and wine. Categorized events and public spaces allow in-person communities to develop around shared interests while the sheer ubiquity of events invites the lonely to treat it as a second home or “third space” besides home and work.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Local bookstores have remained vibrant despite national competition by catering to local interests and being spaces people want to support. The same is true of coffee shops and wine bars. But we do offer audio and digital books for those who prefer those options. We are also taking advantage of people wanting to go out again and nurture friendships.
Contact Info:
- Website: hookedlansing.com
- Instagram: https://twitter.com/hookedlansing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HookedLansing
