A 126-year-old Folk Victorian home in downtown Olathe has a new life as 3 of Cups, an independent bookstore that officially opened to the public on October 1 after a soft launch for friends and family. The shop sits at 101 W. Cedar Street, right next to the Junque Drawer boutique, and its owners say it marks the first independent bookstore to open in Johnson County in decades.
The store is co-owned by Ashley Mantooth and twin sisters Jasmine Titus and Starla Titus, according to The Kansas City Star. Mantooth works full time at the shop, while the Titus sisters, who both work at Black & Veatch, take turns covering weekend shifts. The twins reportedly moved their bookstore dream up by about 20 years once the right building became available, per the same account.
Before it became a bookstore, the house had already spent years in retail use. It operated as Holiday House, a seasonal home decor and holiday shop run by the neighboring Junque Drawer, according to Junque Drawer Studio. Junque Drawer sold the Victorian home this year, and the new owners spent weeks renovating the property, the Star reports, replacing the roof, gutters and foundation while preserving the home’s original wood trim and carved detailing.
A Soft Pink Heartbeat for a Historic House
Inside, the walls are painted a soft shade the owners call romance pink, a color choice they describe as the visual heartbeat of the house, according to Johnson County Post. Two large pink couches anchor the main floor, which also holds a room dedicated to young adult and adult titles spanning fiction, nonfiction, romance, historical fiction and thrillers. Shoppers will also find tarot cards, oracle decks, games, puzzles and book-themed gifts throughout the store, per the Star…