Though many prominent used bookstores have closed throughout the country in recent years, one Post Falls shop continues catering to its customers.

Stephanie Seher can’t help but notice how her regular customers like to drive trends at Literary Souls, her used bookstore. 

Gnomes populate many of the shelves and Seher said she’s had to hide her collection of solar movement decorations since they became too big of a trend for visitors.

“A customer brought in one solar and then suddenly I had hundreds,” Seher said. “Same thing with gnomes." 

In 2009, she started the business with her mother and grandmother. The business was able to move into a bigger location, and then she moved back to their original location in 2022. 

Literary Souls on Seltice Way houses around 22,000 titles. 

“We’re lovers of books,” Seher said. 

Her grandmother and mother got jobs that took them away from working with her, but she said that spirit of connection still drives the shop today.

“I love the community factor of it,” Seher said. “A lady came by to say goodbye because she’s going into an assisted living facility in southern Idaho.” 

Customers can bring books they’ve finished to trade for store credit, saving money and investing in more books.

The new year has kept the shop busy with gently used books flowing in and out.

Seher said it’s hard to keep track of how fast her inventory can change, but the goal is to keep a little bit of everything in stock.  

She tries to keep up with the volumes of books using her store as a hub to put beloved books into the right hands in their next home. 

“They (customers) always want to try to read more this year than last year, expand their horizons a little more,” Seher said. 

    Gnomes have become a frequent gift from customers to adorn the shelves at Literary Souls Used Books.