McArthur Bookstore marks third anniversary as a West Clay community “third place”

McArthur Bookstore, in the village of West Clay in Carmel, will mark its third anniversary in April and has become a regular community gathering place, the store’s owner said during a recorded interview.

The owner of McArthur Bookstore said the shop hosts six genre book clubs each month, typically brings in six to eight authors monthly, and runs occasional craft “field trips” with local artisans. “One of the really cool things about bookstores is that they naturally lend ourselves to becoming third spaces in our community,” the owner said. “They're a place that people of all ages, of all interests can come and really just browse and just be.”

Why it matters: Small bookstores often serve both an economic and social function in neighborhoods, providing a venue for local authors, events and casual social contact that the owner described as “not matchable from an algorithm.” The owner said McArthur stocks national best sellers alongside books written by Indiana authors so customers can find both types of work under one roof.

At the top: the owner described the store’s regular programming. “We host a lot of events. Here at McArthur, we have six genre book clubs every single month,” the owner said. The clubs are “drop-in” events that do not require a long-term commitment; the owner said the schedule is published and patrons may attend individual sessions. The owner also described author appearances and artisan-led classes, and noted the shop’s location in walkable West Clay attracts both neighborhood residents and people from the surrounding area because of parking and accessibility. “We are open to the entire surrounding area with easy parking. It's just an easy place to come and spend a day,” the owner said.

Context and details: In the interview the owner said the bookstore began after seeing a lease sign in the village and opening the shop roughly three years ago. The owner described a personal connection to reading and cited J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit as the book that sparked a lifelong love of reading: “The book that made me fall in love with reading was J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit.'” The owner added a personal note on reading habits: “My TBR pile is literally dangerous,” meaning there are many books she intends to read.

No formal action was taken in this recorded exchange; the segment was an interview-style account of the store’s offerings and role in the neighborhood rather than a policy or legislative discussion.

The owner closed with a signature phrase and an invitation to the community: “Off we go,” she said, describing both her reading approach and the store’s orientation toward bringing people into a curated local space.