Stephanie Kitchen MLIS ’05 continues Chicago bookstore's legacy

May 6, 2021



Stephanie Kitchen MLIS ’05 has purchased Chicago bookstore City Lit Books, which closed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stephanie, a longtime resident of Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, is eyeing a reopening date of June 19.



Stephanie, a former bookseller and librarian who has always dreamed of owning a bookstore, took the "Paz Owning a Bookstore" course just before the pandemic hit. Last October, she reached out to the original owner to see if there was a way to continue the bookstore's legacy. 



"If surviving the Covid pandemic has taught me anything, it's that life is too short," Stephanie said. "The pandemic has also taught me the importance of community—which is why I am so eager to reopen City Lit Books, to welcome the community back and to continue to offer a place of wonder, connection and discovery." 



Read more: Chicago's City Lit Books Reopening Under New Ownership