Auntie’s Celebrates Grand Opening of Second Location

Two weeks ago, Auntie’s Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its second store, Auntie’s at the Square. The weekend-long event at the new location in the River Square Mall in downtown Spokane, Washington, consisted of hourly gift card drawings, performances by local musicians, and an on-location radio broadcast to welcome new customers.

The beginnings of Auntie’s can be traced back to 1978, when owner Chris O’Harra started the Book and Game Company, which later branched into separate stores: Uncle’s for the games, under a different owner, and Auntie’s Bookstore, a 14,000-square-foot shop that has since become a staple in the Spokane community.

“I just wanted one great big bookstore,” said O’Harra.

After receiving numerous customer requests for a bookstore in River Square, mall authorities approached Auntie’s Bookstore with the offer of a space in the shopping center that was previously occupied by a children’s bookstore. The introduction of Auntie’s has filled a certain void within the mall. “So many customers wanted an all-inclusive bookstore,” said Melissa Opel, store manager of Auntie’s at the Square. “It was amazing how many.”

The River Square Mall offered O’Harra a great deal to become a part of the Spokane shopping experience. “They wanted a pillar of the community to be in their space,” said Opel. “They were just so happy to have us.”

Although the newly opened store is just three blocks away from the Auntie’s on West Main Avenue, it reaches an entirely new customer base. O’Harra was hesitant at first because of the proximity of the two stores. “But then the more I thought about the opportunity,” she said, “the more I thought we just couldn’t pass it up. We’ve been trying to get people that go to the mall to come to our store for years.”

Auntie’s at the Square staff members are looking forward to exploring the new possibilities of catering to a younger demographic, such as carrying edgier fiction and trendier sidelines, including popular Australian lotions and locally made products. The store’s focus is bestsellers, movie tie-ins (since the movie theater in-building is a local draw) and graphic novels.

“We’re getting a chance to re-introduce our brand to a whole new set of customers,” Opel said. “It opens so many doors.”

Spokane’s closeness to the Canadian border, the mall’s distinction as a shopping destination, and the nearby military bases also give the store an opportunity to further expand their clientele.

“That’s the fun part of it,” said Opel. “Our store being seen by tourists walking through. It’s fun to be here and meet those people.”

While Opel continues to work on different events to schedule for the store, she intends to stay true to Auntie’s unique feel. “I get to use some of my other talents over here,” said Opel, who plans to play guitar “for the kiddos.” Author Sherman Alexie is due for a store visit, as well as other local authors.

“It just seems to be working very, very well,” said O’Harra. “Every indication is that this is going to be a successful venture on our part.”