West metro residents have a new opportunity to shop local and support a woman owned small business with a new independent bookstore and curio shop appropriately named The Vintage Storyteller.
The Vintage Storyteller is now open six days a week Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, noon-6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Sunday noon-3 p.m. The shop is located at 5260 Hwy 12 right in the heart of Maple Plain.
The shop comes at a perfect time when people are looking for more ways to support small businesses and buy local. It stays true to its name, by serving a wide variety of people with an eclectic collection of books on nature, creativity, personal development and is categorized as a book shop with at least half of the inventory being books. There is also a wide array of gift items, art prints, cards and crafting supplies. The items are new, but it is curated with a cozy vintage aesthetic. Almost everything is purchased from small businesses, indie artists and makers.
“I have always wanted to own a little bookshop,” says owner and curator Kari Ramstrom. “My education is in Environmental Science and I have a Master’s in Library Science. Recently, as both my kids graduated from high school and were off to college I saw the window of opportunity. I am using all of my skills gleaned from decades in public and school libraries and most recently as an educational coordinator and currently a farmers market coordinator, to start my own business and open a brick and mortar shop.”