I’m unsure as to why my first visit to A Novel Idea was just a few days ago. A Novel Idea has been at the same location since 1992, 118 N. 14th St, making it a staple of downtown Lincoln. A friend took me on a whim, and I was curious as what to expect. I had heard everyone rave about how cool it was, but never felt that inclined to go. I immediately understood why people love it so much the moment I walked in.
Despite having never been to the store, the staff treated me like I was a regular customer who they had known for ten years. There are two sweet cats who lounge around and enjoy head scratches. There are no freshly printed copies of books laying around, but rather used, “vintage” books that each have a story of their own. There is just something special about buying a used book instead of a new one. The smell of old book pages (yes, that beautiful smell!) fills the entire store. The books are very moderately priced, and they have an excellent selection of blind-date books. Blind-date books are books wrapped in paper so you can’t see the cover, and keywords pertaining to the book are written on the paper instead. I bought one for five bucks! There are impressive little antiques nestled through the store. It is almost like a museum/bookstore. The main floor is lined with books, as well as the basement. It reminds me of a library you would find in an old mansion or something.
A Novel Idea is a charming, cozy little place to go when you need a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of campus life. Or just really need to pet a cat (we all have those days).