BUSINESS
A10 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2021
Business owners open next chapter in Hermiston
By ERICK PETERSON
EDITOR/SENIOR REPORTER
Angela Pursel and Alexis
McCarthy, owners of a new
Hermiston bookstore, are sur-
prised by their success.
The mother-and-daughter
team started The Next Chap-
ter Bookstore at 1000 S. High-
way 395, Suite C, in Hermis-
ton. They are now open six
days a week, from 9 a.m. to
6 p.m., but this was not their
original plan. Neither was it
their expectation they would
average 40 customers per day.
“It was just this crazy idea,”
Pursel said.
Pursel wanted another fam-
ily project, something to fi ll
her days. With her daughters
grown and out of her house,
she needed something in addi-
tion to the radio station and the
dance studio she owns. This
additional business would
be part of the “next chapter”
of her life, hence the shop’s
name.
This idea, which came to
her on a driving trip through
the Columbia Gorge, appealed
Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald
Alexis McCarthy and her mother, Angela Pursel, on Aug. 25,
2021, browse the shelves of their new shop, The Next Chapter
Bookstore. The store opened at the end of April and business
has been brisk.
to daughter McCarthy. It also
attracted McCarthy’s younger
sister, Melani, who created the
shop’s logo, works in the store,
and plans to display her art-
work there soon.
Pursel and McCarthy’s
plan was to build a bookstore
in the spacious lobby of their
dance studio, Dance Unlim-
ited, where they serve around
200 students with lessons in
jazz, hip hop, contemporary,
tap and other dance styles.
Their fi ve dance teachers
and their students, who had all
come to accept the studio as
their own special place, liked
the idea of the bookstore.
They didn’t mind that the
books would occupy their stu-
dio. After all, the bookshelves
would be out of the way.
Many of the shelves would
be attached to the wall. A
few other shelves would be on
wheels, moved out for the few
days when there were no dance
classes and then returned to
storage for most of the week.
This is how The Next
Chapter opened — at the
end of April — with a Sat-
urday-to-Monday sched-
ule, mobile shelves, and low
expectations.
“That lasted for two
weeks,” Pursel said.
Business started hot. They
were busy during their limited
hours, and their customers
were requesting longer store
hours and more of them.
Even their dance stu-
dents were wanting the store
open during weekdays, so
they could shop before and
after classes. And the parents
wanted the store open, so they
could have something to do
while their children were in
class. Pursel and McCarthy
decided to increase the hours.
“We hoped people loved
books as much as we did,”
Pursel said.
So far, it seems she
was right.
Pursel and McCarthy said
locals prefer the community
and feel of a bookstore. They
also like getting their books
without having to pay ship-
ping costs. The Next Chap-
ter obtains customer orders
without charging for ship-
ping. They enjoy making rec-
ommendations and sharing
some of their favorite books.
Pursel, who likes books
from every genre, said she
has been recommending “The
Push” by Ashley Audrain. It is
a suspense novel. Typically,
though, her preferred books
include literary fi ction and
business biographies.
McCarthy, meanwhile,
reads a lot of young adult and
middle grade books so she can
make recommendations to her
students. She also reads fan-
tasy, true crime, and romantic
comedies. “One Last Stop” by
Casey McQuiston is one of her
recent favorites, as is “Mid-
night Library” by Matt Haig.
Pursel and McCarthy also
recommend books from the
shop’s most popular genres,
such as action, fantasy and sci-
ence fi ction.
“We live in such crazy
times, people want to escape
reality for a moment,” Pur-
sel said. Some of the wild-
est genres allow that escape.
Manga, Japanese graphic nov-
els, also are selling well with
readers of all ages.
The co-owners said their
biggest challenges are promo-
tion and fi lling their shelves.
These days, they are ordering
books for the holiday season.
Industry experts have told
them shipping and supply
will be issues in the coming
months. It might be diffi cult
to have everything custom-
ers need if books are not
ordered now.
They also are planning to
start a couple of book clubs
this fall and perhaps some
author events later this year
or the beginning of next year.
McCarthy reads to children at
gatherings every Saturday at
11 a.m., and she said she wants
to have more store activities.
Pursel said she and her
daughter are grateful for the
community support.
“We love to chat with
them and see them come in,”
she said.
‘Dining Dollars’ coupons, gift cards to encourage restaurant visits
ing Back to the Hermis-
ton Community,” $50,000
in funding the city received
through the American Res-
cue Plan Act will be used
to provide coupons for res-
idents to use at any eating
establishment in the city.
To administer the pro-
HERMISTON HERALD
A program to encourage
visits to the city’s restaurants
soon begins under a partner-
ship between the Hermiston
Chamber of Commerce and
city of Hermiston.
With a theme of “Giv-
gram, the chamber has cre-
ated “Dining Dollars” cou-
pons for local participating
restaurants, purchased bulk
gift cards from chain restau-
rants and purchased pre-
paid Visa cards for restau-
rants that don’t fall into
either option.
Dining Dollars vouch-
ers and restaurant direct
gift cards will be in $10
increments.
Utility holders will
receive 20% of the Dining
Dollars and restaurant direct
gift cards. The Hermiston
Chamber will distribute the
remainder through Feature
Fridays, Facebook promo-
tions and other public activ-
ities and events.
Distribution of cou-
pons and gift cards will
begin within the next two
weeks. Watch the chamber’s
online and other commu-
EASTERN OREGON
Place classified ads online at
www.EasternOregonMarketplace.com
or call 1-800-962-2819
or e-mail classifieds@eastoregonian.com
marketplace
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
nication channels for more
information.
The program will run
through December and
beyond. All Direct Dining
coupons will expire Dec.
31, while chain restaurant
and Visa gift cards may have
extended expiration dates.
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