Local shops helping write a new chapter for book lovers

NEWS

Once believed to be a dying breed, bookstores have seen a steady decline in sales and openings as online retailers began dominating consumer spaces and the COVID-19 pandemic hurt independent shops. But according to the American Booksellers Association, 422 independent bookstores opened across the U.S. in 2025, with Ogden being no exception to this recent boom. 

Located on 25th Street, The Romantics Archive, which opened in November, is one of the latest bookstores to sprout up in Ogden. As the name of the store suggests, The Romantics Archive’s main focus is being a store where shoppers can find romance novels, but the location also operates as a place of community for readers by hosting book clubs, blind book dates and other novel-related events. 

Nicole Trahan, owner of The Romantics Archive, believes that what makes a bookstore different from an online vendor is the level of care a physical location can have. 

“We care. We are still small and community oriented,” she said. “You’re not going to get the big box retailers online telling you what book you should read and recommend it to you. They just care about numbers. … We want you to find the right book and be a part of our community.”

Trahan believes there has been a surge in the romance genre, which has resulted in more stores with a focus on romance opening up and online circles like BookTok becoming more popular. 

“Romance in general is bringing a lot of readers back because it is empowering women and men,” Trahan said. “There is just something about adding romance to a story that is really empowering and inflicts a lot of emotion, and you don’t get that anywhere else.” 

Inside the Romantics Archive on Historic 25th Street. Photo provided

On Harrison Boulevard, Underground Books is another recent store to open in Ogden. Underground Books is a two-story location with a wide range of fiction, nonfiction, new and used books. The downstairs of Underground Books is where a significant section of the books can be found, but the upstairs building includes a game room and spaces that can be rented out for private meetings and events. Underground Books also hosts an open poetry night every month on the Thursday closest to the new moon. 

Shane Andersen, owner of Underground Books, said that they had a soft opening one year ago but are looking to hold a larger grand opening toward the end of April once they have completed renovations for the store. 

While Andersen has a background in botany, he has always been bookish and believes that there are never enough bookstores.

Andersen is an Ogden native and hopes that Underground Books can be not just a store for people to find books at, but also an experience for anyone who stops by. Andersen described the store as a classic 1970s brick-and-mortar bookstore, something he felt was missing from Ogden. 

Andersen values that customers can come to Underground Books and find more than just the book they are looking for. Online retailers do not allow customers to find a hidden gem among the variety of books on a shelf.  

“I may not have the book you want, but I’m certain I can find the book you need, because I’m a really good book doula,” he said. 

Inside Newgate Mall, A Novel Idea is another bookstore in the Ogden community. A Novel Idea has been around since the mid-2010s and has seen a few locations in the Weber County area. Cornel Thomas, the store's owner, purchased A Novel Idea three years ago from the original owners. 

Thomas said that his father was a librarian, so books were always a big part of his life. He did not want to see A Novel Idea close, so when the opportunity came, he purchased the business. 

“The world needs more bookstores, especially right now,” Thomas said. 

A Novel Idea carries a variety of new and used books, with mystery being their most popular genre. The shop also highlights work written by local authors and hosts author signing events.

Independent Bookstore Day is coming up on Saturday, April 25, so anyone looking for something new to read can support local businesses.