By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A pair of downtown businesses are changing locations in a collaborative effort to help each other find the right fit.
Maze Books, an independent bookstore that opened about a year ago at 117 S. Third St., is moving into the storefront now occupied by GEM: Gather, Engage, Make, at 406 E. State St. Sarah Reed-McNamara, an artist and printmaker who owns GEM, is moving into the former Salvaged by Sonya space at 330 E. State St. and opening under the name of her printmaking business, SRM Prints.
David Pedersen, who owns Maze Books, and Reed-McNamara have often advocated for each other’s shops. When he learned she was looking to downsize her space, they found a way to help each other out.
“Printmakers and booksellers have been collaborating since there’s been a printing press,” Pedersen said. “When people come to see me at the shop, I would say go see Sarah, and Sarah would say the same thing.”
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Reed-McNamara plans to open SRM Prints by Aug. 1. Pedersen said Maze could move in as soon as August but no later than October. Both shops will continue to operate in their current locations until the moves are complete.
Reed-McNamara and Kelly Steward opened GEM in 2019 as a collective with other artists and makers. But when the world started reopening after the coronavirus pandemic, several of the makers left the space for other jobs. By the end of 2022, Reed-McNamara alone took over the two-floor space, which also has a back patio.
Then she saw the space open for lease when Salvaged by Sonya moved to 510 E. State St.
“As I saw another spot open up, I realized I don’t need all the space here,” Reed-McNamara said. “It’s a little overwhelming just for me.”
The larger space is the right fit for Maze Books, which often holds literature and poetry readings and author signings squeezed between the bookshelves at its Third Street storefront. The open area at GEM will give more space to accommodate those type of events and to expand its collection.
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Pedersen said the move will also come with a shift to have a larger focus on new books.
“The business model will definitely change in certain ways, but we’re still going to keep that affordability and availability,” he said.
Pedersen has always carefully selected the books he sells in his shop, and he’ll continue to curate the selection of new and used titles.
“If they go on the rack there’s a reason,” Pedersen said. “I clean every single book and I price every single book. If you’re holding it, I’ve spent time with it.”
The two business owners hope together they’ll be a draw to that strip of downtown.
“We have a lot of crossover with customers,” said Reed-McNamara, who is married to Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara. “Anyone who likes my shop is bound to like Dave’s shop.”
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Reed-McNamara, who learned the art of linoleum block printmaking at Rockford University, creates colorful prints and textiles while raising her two children ages 7 and 6. Fans of GEM know she often has her kids with her in the shop, and she created a kid-friendly atmosphere for fellow parents. She plans to do the same with her new shop at the corner of State and First streets.
“I really love that space on the corner. It has a row of really cool built-ins, and then a small backroom with a door that divides it” that makes a great space for kids to play, she said. “A ton of women shop here and moms, and I’ve created an atmosphere where kids are welcome.”
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas