
Who We Are
Griffeys’ Book Emporium is an independent bookstore located in Delaware, Ohio. We focus on stocking used, rare, locally-authored, and independently published titles. GBE is co-owned and co-founded by Aria Maher and David Griffey.
Aria is a writer, artist, designer, and booklover who has lived in Delaware for most of her life. In her spare time, she enjoys sewing, reading, and exploring odd corners of Delaware.
David is also a writer, artist, and booklover. He has lived in Delaware for over 20 years and in his spare time enjoys painting miniatures, reading aloud to his youngest brother, and listening to prog rock.
What We Do
We sell a unique variety of used, rare, local, and indie books, as well as book-related gifts and merchandise out of our beautiful and cozy storefront, which is conveniently located on Central and Troy, near historic downtown Delaware.
Used
We specialize in rescuing, cleaning, and restoring used books so that they can be enjoyed again by new readers. We purchase used books in bulk online or from our local community and carefully clean them, remove pesky stickers, and repair as much damage as we can without compromising the integrity of the book. While not every book can be fully restored to its former glory, we believe that this process provides value to our customers and eliminates some of the most annoying elements of buying used books. After our books are cleaned, they are sorted and priced based on quality, binding type, size, demand, and rarity.
Rare
When buying in bulk, we sometimes come across hidden gems including first editions, out-of-print books, vintage, and historic volumes. We are planning to start selling our rare books instore and online very soon, so stay tuned!
Local & INDIE
We love to feature books and authors that aren’t often found in other brick-and-mortar bookstores. We partner with local (Ohio-based) authors, independently published authors, and small presses to provide a curated selection of high-quality independent books in our store. Our current selection includes books by Leslie Anne Alexander, Cheyenne Van Langvelde, and Columbus-based poetry publisher Secret Midnight Press. If you are a local and/or independent author, poet, or small press, please reach out to us via our business contact form. We may be able to feature your work on our shelves!
Where We’re Going
Griffeys’ Book Emporium is always expanding and seeking to find new ways to serve and delight customers! Our future goals include:
– Hosting special events (book signings, readings, author events, etc.) at least once a month. (Ongoing)
– Expand our sales floor to include more shelving, displays, and reading nooks. (2023)
– Implement a coffee and tea bar area for guests and customers. (2023 or 2024)
– Create a fully searchable online catalogue of all our books and products. (2023)
– Develop the capacity for curbside pickup and local delivery. (2024)
To join us on our journey, please subscribe to our blog for news and updates!