Waitsburg's bookstore is more than just pages

Good books, local products, and writing clubs... oh my! Ju's Traveling Pages, located at the end of our Main Street, is owned and operated by a family who has centered their business around everything Waitsburg, and they have some exciting things going on this upcoming year.

The little bookstore can be found in the old Delta Connection, and is owned by Jessika Chapman Bannerman. Working closely with her support system and mom, Pam McCauley Chapman, Jessika has turned the little building into a book lover's haven, and she focuses on supporting local artists and artisans. Many familiar names can be seen on the book bindings, and the soaps, lotions, and other gifts are made locally.

"We plan on using books written by authors from the Pacific Northwest for our book club this year," Pam McCauley Chapman said. The first book of the year will be Graceful Warrior, by Ann Kidwell. If the pen name sounds familiar, that's because Kidwell is from our little community. Graceful Warrior is a tasteful combination of fantasy and fiction that tells the story of three young women and their fight to survive the world of human trafficking.

"It really is a wonderful book," McCauley Chapman said. "It was never graphic enough that I had to put it down, but it tells a hard story." The book does have some situations that could be triggers for victims, McCauley Chapman mentioned. The Book Club currently meets once a month on Thursday evenings, but they hope to move the day to Saturdays. Book Club members receive a 10 percent discount on the reading material for the month, but it's not required to purchase your book from them. If you're an audiobook user, or you buy your copy elsewhere, you are still welcome to join.

If book clubs aren't your thing, Ju's Traveling Pages hosts a writing club on Tuesdays. The group is small but growing, and they recently did a NaNoWriMo challenge, with a goal of writing 50,000 words in a month. National Novel Writing Month (often shortened to NaNoWriMo) is an annual Internet-based creative writing project that takes place during the month of November.

"The group is so supportive. They help you through writer's block, and they help each other with everything from enhancing characters, building ideas, and editing," McCauley Chapman said. She could hardly put into words how supportive the club members are. She said that she is currently working on a children's book, but there are no limits on what you choose to write. Writers of all levels are welcome to attend and participate. A positive attitude was the only 'requirement.'

Ju's Traveling Pages is currently working on changing their name to Words-n-Print, to include a new screen printing service. The silk screen setup sits behind a counter in the back of the shop, and they are beginning to offer a "print while you wait" service. Customers can come in, pick out a shirt or sweatshirt and a design, and the custom shirt will be printed right then and there. Prices start at $30, and build from there.

They are taking larger custom orders, as well. To date, they have printed apparel for local 4-H clubs, school districts, and family Christmases. They offer competitive rates and strive to complete orders as quickly as they can.

If you're looking for Waitsburg apparel or gifts, Ju's Traveling Pages does have sweatshirts and tee shirts that have come off their press available for purchase.

The store also has soaps, lotions and scrubs available for purchase. The clean, handmade products are created by Something for EveryBODY, a small family business from Walla Walla. There are a couple of swivel racks full of handcrafted cards for all occasions created by local artists. The cozy sitting area is decorated with pictures taken by local photographer Lacy Nichols. If you're looking for something truly Waitsburg to gift, Ju's Traveling Pages is the place to go!

"Waitsburg has a lot of hidden talent," McCauley Chapman said. "We love giving that talent the spotlight for a little while." They do rotate the art in the store, and are always looking for artists and artisans to feature.

The store is open from Tuesday's, Thursday's, and Friday's from 1-5, and on Saturday from 11-4. If you're interested in the book club or the writing club, pop by the store or follow them on Facebook at Ju's Traveling Pages: Words-n-Print. The seating area is available to use as a meeting space, just check in with either Jessika or Pam at the store.