The only true way to escape reality is through the essence of books, and I’m not referring to the mind-numbing novels that are strategically placed within a high school curriculum.

It took me the entirety of my life to come to a realization: reading is my only true escape. When I heard that Plumfield Books had just announced its grand opening, I was immediately flooded with serotonin.

Part of my love for reading has to do with the experience of finding, buying, and indulging with the book, and as my love for reading increases, I have realized that places like Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and ‘borrowing’ from my best friend, Val’s, extensive bookshelf, were not doing it for me anymore. 

Plumfield Books is located in downtown Ada in place of what used to be a liquor store, and it is the perfect addition to the community. Plumfield’s grand opening was Sep. 10 and although I wasn’t able to make it to the anticipated event, I continued to be determined to take time out of my week to indulge in the experience that is Plumfield Books.

 As lovers of rom-com novels, Val and I decided to make a perfect afternoon out of our trip to the infamous bookshop. We stopped at a neighboring coffee shop, acquired our iced lattes, and headed across the street to absorb ourselves in a world of books.

I stepped through the glass door to observe the store’s only flaw; it was painfully quiet. Although I was a little startled by the silence at first, I quickly got over the fault due to the fact that I was immersed in the immaculate vibe the store presented me with. Immediately I noticed the extensive selection of books they had. I walked around the store taking mental notes of all my future reads that would be purchased from this exact shop.

Plumfield consists of many unique aspects that are not able to be found at a common chain bookstore, and that makes it a comfortable environment. There is a table placed towards the middle of the store with a variety of books, and placed under each novel is a notecard written by a member of the community. Anyone can take a notecard and suggest one of their favorite reads and sign it on the bottom where it states: “Recommended by your neighbor.” This creates a sense of unity between people, and you can see what friends and peers are reading.

Another addition to the store that makes it present a homelike feel is the round table right at the front of the store of books all written by Michigan authors. It has a variety of stories, bookmarks, and stickers that all pertain to our mitten state.

This spontaneous afternoon trip to this new local bookshop took my average and borderline negative day and transformed it into an enjoyable and memorable afternoon spent with my two favorite things: iced coffee and books.  

Between the sense of community and a variety of stories ranging from romance novels to picture books, Plumfield Books is the perfect place to forget about the reality of life and drown in a world of literature and serenity.