There long had been a plan—almost since Square Books opened, in 1979—to find a location around the square to establish a stand-alone children’s bookstore. In fact, it was when Richard Howorth was looking for such space in the early 1990s that he happened upon the soon-to-be vacancy of Denton’s Furniture Store. But the old store was very dark and cavernous, too much so for a children’s store. Nevertheless, Howorth signed a ten-year lease with Bennie Denton because he had also dreamed of a stand-alone remainder store, and thus was born Off Square Books, in 1992. But the quest for a special place for children to have their very own bookstore was not over, and when the Tourism Council office became available on the east side of the square, next to Neilson’s, and just below the upstairs of the original Square Books, the bookselling team excitedly began to prepare to open what would become Square Books, Jr.
your first idea? do not tell anyone! the booksellers covered the windows with paper. no one knew what was going on there. no one knew who had rented the building. people thought it would be another bar. so they thought there would be more lawyers. one person even said it would be a place where prisoners would be placed when the jail became overcrowded. but the booksellers kept their secret and began ordering new children’s books. many of them. more ferdinand! more polar express! but ramona the plague! and puzzles and games and stuffed animals and art supplies and things square books never had before!
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things started to come together for the square books, jr. in the early summer of 2003. do you remember any important children’s books published in june 2003? a book, like, in a series? that’s right, muggles! harry potter and the order of the phoenix! So Square Books announced a special event for the launch of the new Harry Potter on June 21. but people were advised to go to the old store, main square books, and it would open at 6am. m., and that anyone who came dressed as a Harry Potter character, or whose parents were dressed in their pajamas, would receive a breakfast of juice and donuts and get a 20% discount on their Harry Potter book. so at six in the morning a line formed (you’ve never seen so many adults in pajamas with their embarrassed children!) outside the square books, but there was a problem, a big problem. the square books had been closed by order of the Ministry of Magic. the door was boarded up and no one could enter. but someone had left marauders maps, which sent people on a harry potter scavenger hunt around the square: to the magic mirror at gathright reed (now regents bank), to professor dumbledore (matt parks), to professor snape, to the professor mcgonagall (katie snodgrass, the first junior manager), to the bank (first national), where clues were given all the way. the last clue was the phoenix feather, which let you enter this mysterious new building that still had the windows covered with paper. and what was there? the new bookstore of nothing but children’s books!!! square books, jr!!! katie and yulanda bishop, the first square books, jr. bookcases, were on the floor that day. Within a week or two Jill Moore was on the scene (one of the greatest booksellers of all time). After Katie embarked on other exciting adventures, Lauren Lanza became manager of Square Books, Jr. From day one, creating a space that the community could enjoy and running a thriving bookstore was a challenge. but the core staff, jill, ramona and mrs. Patton (the lovely Leita) with the help of a brilliant and talented staff, made Jr. one of the most exciting things that has happened to oxford. from day one, jr. has moved!