The Reading Room CLE opened its doors at 17021 Lorain Avenue in June 2025. L.S. Quinn, the executive director of The Reading Room CLE, has a vision for how a bookstore can change communities by operating as a third space — a welcoming, safe environment where people can pause, read, rest and connect.
“[When you read] you’re learning something that you didn’t personally experience,” Quinn said. “That’s what books do for us. And I think that the practice of getting comfortable and skilled and strong in the muscles of understanding other people’s lives is what makes us better community members, better citizens of our country, better citizens of the world.”
What’s on the Shelves
The Reading Room CLE highlights works by Black and indigenous people of color, voices of the Global South, women, marginalized genders, queer and trans voices and poor people’s voices.
According to Quinn, “These are the books that don’t get put on end caps. They’re not at Target, they’re not at Costco, they’re not at Walmart. They get smaller print runs, they get less marketing. Their books are just plain rarer because there’s less investment in that part of publishing, just in general. It makes it harder for us here in Cleveland, here in West Park, to access them. You can’t find them. And I think that everyone deserves the chance to read about voices that are not their own.”
Instead of sections like history or literature, the Reading Room is organized into “journeys.” Each of these journeys is placed onto a single bookcase where themes are more important than categories. These are a few sections of the journeys that the Reading Room invites customers to take with them.
- “Bodies and How to Love Them” includes titles around exercise, medicine, cooking, erotica and massage. According to Quinn, this is one of the most popular sections in the store.
- “Representation” features works from marginalized voices in both fiction and nonfiction.
- “Books with Pictures” invites you to explore all the ways that illustration interacts with words from graphic novels to manga to art books to how to create illustrations and drawings.
- “Justice” connects memoir, history, literature and social science titles to facilitate a broader understanding of human and civil rights.
Quinn summed up her philosophy stating,“We tried to build here a space that is enjoyable, a space that is welcoming, a space that is comfortable. I’ve tried to fill this space with velvet cushions and cupcakes and plants and books and things that people enjoy. People learn when they are comfortable and ready to expand. I’ve tried to build a place here that’s comfortable, and I hope that when people come in, they come in open to that enjoyment, so that they can then be receptive to learning all the things that are in all of these books.”
The store has over 5,000 volumes. Adult hardcovers are $10, trade paperbacks are $8, mass market and children’s books are $4.
Location and Purpose
The Reading Room describes itself as a “501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to literacy, community engagement, and fiscal sponsorship. Rather than relying solely on book sales to sustain operations, RRC has intentionally created a diversified income strategy that augments and supports its bookstore as a third space — a welcoming, safe environment where people can pause, read, rest, and connect.”
There are comfortable couches and chairs in the center of the store for people to sit and read or have conversation. A broad worktable by the counter is in constant use for projects for the community. Folks who would like a space to work and talk are always welcome to contact the store and reserve the space. The only cost for a reservation is a request that attendees purchase a book while they are at the shop.
The organization has been receiving donations and operating through an online bookstore for many years, and the step to a brick and mortar space in an established retail area is a giant leap forward according to Quinn. The Reading Room briefly had premises on an upper floor at The Brownhoist on St. Clair Avenue, but the location did not work out for the shop. The group retrenched and spent time re-evaluating what they needed in a physical location, settling on Kamm’s Corner’s. The organization was attracted to the space by the number of independent shops nearby including Common Grounds Coffee and Carol and John’s Comic Shop.
Quinn said at the Reading Room CLE, “We make a special effort to operate with kindness to one another and also kindness out toward the outer world. People tend to come to moments of growth and change by being invited into a relationship.”
The brick and mortar store at Kamm’s Corners is the most recent aspect of many years of work in the literary community. Reading Room CLE offers fiscal sponsorships to groups aligned with their mission, including The Collaborative for Sexual Health Equity and Learning (CSHEL) and Story Club CLE, and has supported Little Free Libraries and New Teacher Book Boxes for many years. The Reading Room CLE frequently operates pop-up shops at literary events in the community including Inkubator, Literary Cleveland’s writing conference held at the downtown Cleveland Public Library.
“We needed a bookstore here in West Park. I’m a history person and I had a great time walking around and found two travel books. I am very excited that it’s here,” said Karen Hanrahan, a resident of West Park and customer of the Reading Room.
Many bookstores have cats, but The Reading Room CLE has Marlie J. Dogg. I met Marlie when I visited the shop, and she has her own staff picks to peruse. Marlie is so chill you might not realize she is there, but look for the cozy bed she has and give her a scritch. Your own dogs are welcome as long as they are well behaved and kind to Marlie. I enjoyed my time at the Reading Room and found a friendly place that adds to the book culture of Cleveland.
The store will begin accepting donations on October 1, 2025. Customers are always welcome to bring in a handful of books. If you are making a larger donation (more than 2 boxes) make an appointment by contacting the store at 216-200-7723. Find out more about the Reading Room and support their programs by shopping with them in-store or online, donating books and time, and spreading the word about this new outlet for books and readers. Visit readingroomcle.org or sign up to volunteer here.
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