The NeverEnding Story Children's Bookshoppe in Las Vegas

In a city best known for bookmaking, not reading, former children's librarians Kimberly Diehm and Jennifer Graves started the first chapter of their lives as booksellers on April 29, when their store, The NeverEnding Story Children's Bookshoppe, opened its doors in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 1,000-square-foot store was filled with family, friends, and shoppers, who came to celebrate.

Diehm told BTW, "There's not another children's bookstore [in the city]. We're the first, as far as anybody knows. Our store is located in a very residential neighborhood.... This is not 'The Strip.'

"We had a great first day," Diehm said effusively. "Our grand opening will be held after we return from [BookExpo America], but we are selling books and sidelines for babies to teens. For little children, we have a lot of plush toys and baby booster seats. For teens, we have cute cell phone holders and purses. Two tall bookcases against the wall are for Adult Book Sense Bestsellers."

The store's first Book Sense White Box arrived this past week, and an order has been placed for Book Sense gift cards. In the future, Diehm said, "the store will feature author events, weekly story times, and cooking programs for kids. Some events we've already planned."

Illustrator Lisa Kopelke, who has bridged the two distinct worlds of Las Vegas, will visit the store on May 6, corresponding with a boxing match at the MGM Grand Hotel featuring Oscar De La Hoya, the subject and author of her most recent book, Super Oscar (written with Mark Shulman, S&S Children's Publishing). Building on his valiant picnic-saving efforts portrayed in the new picture book, De La Hoya will challenge Richard "El Matador" Mayorga for the World Boxing Council Light Middleweight Championship.

In November 2005, Diehm and Graves provided BTW's readers with an introduction to their bookselling plans in a column detailing their pre-opening experiences. Even now, Diehm said, she and Graves feel that the two smartest things they did were to contact ABA and Paz & Associates prior to opening.

"The best advice we got," she told BTW, "was to become provisional members of the ABA immediately. We went to BookExpo 2005 in New York, and took the Booksellers School run by Paz & Associates. The whole experience [of the school and BEA] was inspiring. Being able to talk to other booksellers was so helpful. At first we didn't know what questions we should be asking people. We built up a group of acquaintances to call or e-mail for advice and counsel." --Nomi Schwartz