Beloved Columbus bookstore named one of America's favorite mom-and-pop shops by Yelp

Taijuan Moorman, The Columbus Dispatch
·1 min read
The Book Loft, a 32-room bookstore, and Stauf's Coffee are mainstays of German Village's South Third Street businesses.
The Book Loft, a 32-room bookstore, and Stauf's Coffee are mainstays of German Village's South Third Street businesses.

Yelp has named The Book Loft of German Village on its inaugural list of America's favorite mom-and-pop shops.

The list, made in partnership with Entrepreneur Magazine, includes 150 restaurants, bookstores, plumbers, hair stylists and other small, locally-run businesses.

The Book Loft, at 631 South Third St., has been a German Village staple since 1977. The bookstore has enamored customers with its unconventional layout in historic pre-Civil War era buildings that once included general stores, a saloon, and a nickelodeon cinema.

Starting with just three rooms, the quirky little bookstore has expanded eight times over the years. Today, the store includes 32 themed rooms featuring a winding maze of bargain books, novelty items and a large collection of jigsaw puzzles. The Book Loft also features a courtyard with benches and gardens for outdoor reading.

In 2021, the owners of The Book Loft, Russ Iler and Carl Jacobsma, along with investor Jared Jablonka, purchased the building and ensured its operation for years to come.

The list of America's favorite mom-and-pop shops includes just one other Ohio find: Somerset Bar, a garden bar in Cincinnati's Over the Rhine.

Yelp created the list by identifying independently-owned and operated businesses with no more than four locations in several categories, including restaurants, arts and entertainment, fitness, beauty and spas, home and local services and more. The list also factored in the total volume and ratings of reviews.

tmoorman@dispatch.com

@taijuannichole

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus bookstore makes Yelp's list of America's favorite small shops