Saturday Business Spotlight: Ink and Imprint
[November 08, 2025] With
the rise of online shopping, audio books, and e-books, bookstores
started to shut down in the early to late 2000’s. In the last few years,
however, bookstores have been starting to make a comeback. Julie Bates,
owner of Lincoln’s one and only bookstore Ink and Imprint, has gotten
Lincoln in on this resurgence. At Ink and Imprint, you can purchase
books from a variety of genres, in addition to being able to have books
ordered that Bates does not have in store.
Ink and Imprint
opened in November of 2024. Bates always thought that she would one day
open a bookstore and decided to jump at the opportunity when their
current space, 125 N Kickapoo St. opened. The landlord informed Bates
that he was hoping that someone would open a retail store of some kind
there before the holiday season, and Bates decided to be the person to
do that.
After purchasing the location, Bates and her family wracked their brains
for a name. They went through many, even turning to AI to help them find
something they felt fit. Eventually, Ink and Imprint was mentioned, and
the group decided that was the one.
Before opening
the store, Bates decided to get acquainted with the local business
owners on and around the Courthouse Square. She was worried that the
other businesses might see her as competition, but this was very far
from the truth. Bates shared that all the local business owners were
very welcoming, offering advice and promoting her store to their own
customers before they even opened their doors. She has tried to give
back to these businesses. Bates shared that she has purchased furniture
and decorative items from Small Town Creations, Podbelsek Family
Creations, ReNew Consignment and Thrift, and The Bee that she uses in
her store.
As for the genres
of books she sells, Bates shared that it’s a little of everything. She
has fiction and non-fiction for both children and adults. There are
books for kids and even a small play/reading area for them. She sells
romance, sci-fi, and fantasy novels, which Bates says are popular genres
at the moment. She even sells books by local authors from Central
Illinois.
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Bates’s favorite
thing about being a business owner is the way she is able to connect
with people in the community. She says that she has gotten to know
people from Lincoln, as well as people from outside the community. She
also loves getting to see how excited people are about books and
supporting local businesses. The joy that Bates gets to see in people
when they interact with books is one of her favorite things.
Bates had some advice for people looking to open a business in Lincoln.
If opening near the Square, she said, getting connected with the
Downtown Business Group is a must. She said that word of mouth is some
of the most important advertising a business owner can have, but not to
neglect getting connected to people on social media. Bates talked about
some of the troubles she has gone through as a business owner,
particularly with trying to figure out why some times are slow and
others are not. Something she learned from other business owners is that
there is no “rhyme or reason.” You just have to get accustomed to the
"ebb and flow.”
In addition to selling books, Ink and Imprint hosts several events.
Bates often tries to get local authors to do meet and greets and
signings in her store, having done several since she opened her doors.
Every third Saturday of the month, Ink and Imprint hosts a story time
reading for kids starting at 10:00 a.m. There is a book club that she
hosts starting at 6:00 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. Both
are free, and for the book club, the members vote on the book they will
be reading each month.
For those who prefer to listen to their books, there is a way to support
Ink and Imprint even if you are purchasing audiobooks. The website
Libro.fm has a feature that, when you create an account and choose Ink
and Imprint as your local bookstore, the store will get a small
percentage of any purchase you make on the website. In addition to Libro,
the website Bookshop.org has a similar feature, selling digital e-books
rather than audiobooks.
If you would like to visit Ink and Imprint, you can do so by visiting
them at 125 N Kickapoo St. They are open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday from noon to 7:00 p.m., Saturday
from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
They are closed on Mondays. You can follow them on
Facebook and
Instagram.
[Matt Boutcher]
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