Bookie’s has a new lease on life in Homewood.
Thanks to a new partnership and a new home, Bookie’s owner Keith Lewis announced on Facebook Saturday night that the store would return with a new location and a new partnership.
Lewis rocked the local bibliophile community early in September when he announced the closure of the popular Homewood book store, citing inadequate sales and a rent hike.
At the time, he pledged to remain connected to the Homewood community and to seek a way to set up shop again if he could find the right space and circumstances.
He found both.
Bookie’s will partner The Rockshop60430, owned by Craig Frank and Laura Bruni, bringing together bookies, vinyl records and stones for the new venture.
The three signed a lease on Oct. 22 for space at 18109 Dixie Highway, just a couple blocks from Bookie’s old home at 2015 Ridge Road.
Lewis said the space is smaller than the previous store, but the rent is lower and the partnership with Rockshop60430 will make the operation both feasible and, he believes, an exciting new shopping experience.
He said the partners are getting to work and hope to open the new shop in a few weeks.
“Homewood is getting back its book store and it’s going to gain a record store and a rock shop, which is kind of cool,” Lewis said. “It’s going to be a much different vibe and a much hipper store.
“It could be a good thing, in my opinion, that we lost that lease. This is going to be more easy to afford. It’s a good situation.”