A new source of frights and delights on Lehi Main

Madelyn Wilson | American Fork Citizen

Michelle Mooney is a lifelong Utahn and a lifelong horror fan. Since she was a kid reading Goosebumps, she’s been interested in all things supernatural, creepy, witchy and downright scary. Her new bookstore on Lehi Main Street, Nocturnal Nook Novelties, is a love letter to those interests.

Located at 155 W. Main St. and open since July 15, the shop has something for everyone with any interest in the unusual, even if that interest stops at a love for Halloween.

The store’s main stock is, of course, books. For little readers, the store carries lift-the-flap books like “Mothman Baby!” and storybooks like “The Gingerbread Monster,” a creepy twist on the classic Gingerbread Man story. From early readers and YA graphic novels to supernatural romcoms, sci-fi stories, and “splatterpunk” books, Nocturnal Nook has something for everyone.

Mooney curates the collection herself, bringing in all kinds of books for all kinds of readers.

“I try to have a mixture of spooky and cute,” Mooney said of the book selection. “I like creepy, but I also really like whimsical.”

Her favorite book on the floor right now is a special edition of “Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery” by Brom. She also loves a good thriller, though she shared that she reads just about everything. She pointed to “The Exorcist’s House” by Nick Roberts as one of her scariest books.

One way to buy a book at Nocturnal Nook is the “blind date with a book,” a book wrapped so you can’t see the cover but do see a “dating profile,” which includes the genre, Goodreads rating, whether it’s a new release, and the premise of the book.

Though space is limited, the store’s offerings don’t stop at reading material. It also sells t-shirts, stickers, activity books, plushies, collectibles, stationery, puzzles, tarot decks and much more. It’s a perfect place to pick up some “unusual finds for curious minds,” as the shop’s tagline suggests.

Mooney has dreamed of opening a bookstore for quite a while.

“I have wanted to do a bookstore for some time now, for about 10 years,” she shared.

Nocturnal Nook Novelties started as a pop-up shop at local markets in February of this year and continued that way until the week before the Main Street location opened.

As for the recent boom in bookstore popularity, Mooney points to increased interest in physical media among younger generations.

“I personally love physical books for a couple of reasons. First, I love how they have started making them really pretty now, like with special editions and sprayed edges,” Mooney said. “That never existed when I was a kid.”

“Second, I have noticed that with digital media, that it does get changed,” Mooney continued. “It gets edited and changed, so we just want the source content that nobody can alter.”

Mooney has been grateful for the community’s overall positive reception.

“Everybody’s been pretty positive. I thankfully haven’t gotten anything mean or anything. I think it’s fun because the store is spooky-themed, but I am approachable,” she said.

Her long-term goals for the store include a larger space, greater connection to the community, and multiple locations.

“I really genuinely do care about people, so that will always come first above profit, period,” Mooney said. “I’m big on community, so we’re hoping to grow the space, not just for having a bigger space, but so that people can actually sit and hang out. Especially teens and people who are going through a hard time and don’t have a community or family.”

“Our plan is definitely to grow. Honestly, I would like to have multiple locations,” she continued. “I think it would be cool to have different spots in the state. … I have friends and family kind of all over, and so I think it would be neat to just grow this and let it bloom and do its thing and go where it’s needed.”

Meanwhile, Mooney’s efforts are focused on making her store a soft place to land for people who need it.

“I have not had the easiest life. I went through a time where I was homeless. I’ve had really, really difficult things from my past. So I’m just trying to encourage other people that are going through hard things that they’re not alone, that it’s okay, that there are other people like them, and that they are deeply cared about,” she said. “So here at my store, the people that I employ, I try to find people that not only enjoy books, but that also just need to know that they’re cared about — people that maybe have had a hard time finding work, or maybe they struggle with self-worth or whatever. I just really feel very passionately about uplifting others.”

“This is a place for everyone. And that’s been so neat, to see customers who come in from all ends of the spectrum, all ages, all backgrounds, all income levels. Everybody’s treated exactly the same when they walk in — they’re welcome, and I’m genuinely excited to have them here, regardless of what their story is,” Mooney concluded.

For more information about Nocturnal Nook Novelties, including store hours and special events like author signings and markets, visit their website, nocturnalnooknovelties.com, or their Instagram @nocturnalnooknovelties.