A New Chapter: Elleinad Books Relocates to the Heart of College View to Foster Community and Childhood Literacy
"Retail thrives on other retail," says Danielle, owner of Elleinad Books, Lincoln’s premier destination for children’s literature. After three and a half years of building a community for young readers, the bookstore is moving from its current location to a high-visibility storefront in the heart of the College View neighborhood.
The relocation to Prescott Avenue (near 48th Street) places the shop just a mile and a quarter from its original home but significantly closer to the foot traffic of local staples like The Mill and Paper Kite. For Danielle, the timing was nothing short of "divine intervention," as her current lease was ending just as the new space became available.
A Space Designed for Families
A former stay-at-home mom and mother of three (including twins!), Danielle built Elleinad Books to be more than a retail shop. "I wanted it to be a place that people could just come hang out with their kids and just chill," she says. "The zoo can be too much sometimes, and you’ve already been to Target five times that week—where else can you go?"
The shop is known for its unique "no licensed characters" policy—foregoing Bluey or Disney titles in favor of high-quality, unique stories that spark a child's own imagination.
Grand Reopening & Community Events
The move to College View kicks off a blockbuster season for the shop:
● Closing Date: The current location near Old Cheney and 56th street will close on April 18.
● Grand Reopening in College View: Saturday, April 25, coinciding with Independent Bookstore Day.
● Expansion: The new shop will feature longer hours, including Sundays (10:00 AM – 2:00 PM) to welcome the Sunday Farmers Market crowd.
● Statewide Bookstore Trail: This summer (June 1–Sept 30), Danielle is leading the charge on a new Nebraska Bookstore Trail, a tourism-backed initiative to promote independent shops across the state.
● Ribbon Cutting: A formal Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting is scheduled for May 28 at 4:00 PM.
"I don’t own a bookstore just to make money; I do it because I’m passionate about getting good books into kids' hands," Danielle shares. "I want children to remember that they went to the bookstore with their mom every month and found a story that changed them."
More Than Just a Bookstore
Elleinad Books isn't your typical big-box retailer. It is a curated, sensory-friendly space designed for and rooted in community, offering:
● Unique Partnerships: Weekly story times featuring sensory-focused sessions with Connect Pediatric Therapy and musical mornings with Marble Music Studios.
● Curated Collection: A strict "no licensed character" policy. You won't find Bluey or Disney here; instead, you'll find unique, high-quality stories that encourage kids to imagine their own worlds.
● Community Events: Everything from "Boozy Book Fairs" for adults at local breweries to the upcoming "Statewide Bookstore Crawl" launching this June.
Grand Reopening & Independent Bookstore Day
The current location will close its doors on April 18th. To celebrate the move and Independent Bookstore Day, Elleinad Books will host a Grand Reopening on Prescott Avenue on Saturday, April 25. The community is invited to explore the new space, which will feature expanded hours, including Sundays to coincide with the College View Farmers Market.