A New Chapter: Queen Takes Book

If you’ve been driving down Oakland Mills Road between Dobbin and Snowden and wondering about this sign…

Wonder no more. Turn off the road, park your car, and walk right in. Queen Takes Book, Columbia’s new indie bookstore, is officially open for business.

I had a chance to take a sneak peak last week during the bookstore’s ‘soft open’ event on Tuesday. First off, I loved the colors, and the artwork, and all the little things which come together to make a cozy yet uncluttered environment.

Do the light fixtures look like crowns to you? For a place called Queen Takes Book, that’s a nice touch.

There’s a deliciously soft rug in the children’s corner of the store, and a few places to sit that give the Goldilocks ‘just right’ vibe.

This chair seems like a place I’d sit while trying to narrow down my book choices. There’s a lot to choose from!

Of course I could just buy them all and take them home in a stylish QTB tote bag. I love this photo because it proves that I’m not the only person who uses sticky notes as on-the-spot reminders. (This was a soft open, after all.)

But what about the books, you ask? Well…

Not just walls and walls of nondescript offerings, but a varied collection that is studded here and there with personal recommendations.

It’s this sort of thing that sets an independent bookstore apart from those of the chain variety. They know their books. They love books, period. And they love Book People. This is a place where you’ll feel comfortable asking for help finding that book about the pigeon your kid keeps talking about, or where you’ll go when you just need something to read that will lift your spirits. Or make you laugh. At the top of their website these words give you a glimpse of the owners philosophy:

We believe everyone should experience the power of seeing themselves reflected in the pages of a book.

I had a lovely chat with owners Katie McNally and Tim Pinel but of course I was having too much fun to remember to ask for a photo. I’ve snagged this one, taken that same day, from their Instagram account.

I did splurge on a book. It’s an art book I’ve been seeing everywhere on Pinterest lately. Just the thing for these rainy spring days when leaving the house feels, well, risky.

Queen Takes Book is located in Snowden Center at 6955 Oakland Mills Road Suite E, Columbia MD 21045.

Image from Google Maps

Right now their hours are as follows:

Monday

10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Tue - Thu

10:00 am – 7:00 pm

Fri - Sat

10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Sunday

10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Ooh! That means you can stop by today and be able to say you were there during their opening weekend! (If you’re the sort of person who enjoys having bragging rights, that is.)

You can find Queen Takes Book on Facebook, Instagram, and learn more about their business at their website.

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