We enjoyed our recent visit to the Next Chapter Books and Art Shop in Downtown New Bern! Shop Proprietor, Mary Jo Buckl, makes you feel at home in this quaint and independent book store. It’s a “must see” in our book!
Mary Jo is inspired by all the talented authors and artists in our community and she wants to help them succeed! It’s a terrific place to virtually meet your neighbors as their stories, wares, and works are highlighted in The Next Chapter! They have great books and a unique selection of gifts. They also have a meeting room which accommodates at least 16 people that you can rent for a small fee!
The shelves include a wide-array of “gently read” books including genres like children’s, fiction, healthy living, history, meditation, mystery, non-fiction, religion, self-help to suspense-thriller and everything in between. From hardbacks, paperbacks, children’s books, audio books, DVDs; there’s a something for everyone! The bonus? If you love reading, you can’t beat the prices!
If you weren’t aware, New Bern and Eastern North Carolina is a haven to numerous talented writers! Get your copy of books by Garrett Biss, Phil Bowie, Skip Crayton, Cora Darrah, Karen Dodd, Deidre Edwards, Alfred N. Fowler, William C. Furney, Kristy Harvey, Kate Hoke, Joey Jones, Sam Love, Lesley Tall Manning, Michael Nicholas Richards, Lesley Tall Manning, Ben Watford, Patricia L. Woodard, Sarah Swan to name a few of many! They also have Internationally known authors.
Meet a local author or artist during your next visit! They’re hosting “Hear, See, Taste and Discover Events” where they’ll have a children’s author and one adult author from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. The first event is scheduled for September 8th with a reading by Kat Hoke featuring “The Adventures of Benny and Flash II” in the morning and an adult reading by Heather Cobin featuring her latest book, “The Mother Tree” in the afternoon.
The Next Chapter Books and Art participates during ArtWalk as they usually feature an author’s book signing and an artist on the second Friday of every month from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. (October Artwalk will be held on October 6 due to MUMFEST).
You’ll find unique gifts made by local artists like Kat Hoke, Robert Martin, Emily Saunders, Rebecca Taylor, and many more!
The Meeting Room is a terrific venue for group meetings or hosting workshops! It’s outfitted with a sink and a refrigerator. The walls are also lined by a variety of artwork created by Jim Dugan, Rick Hooper, Brittany Klingler, Jay Manning, Maria and Janusz Sendor, Judy Szychowski to Ben Watford.
Relax in the reading room and enjoy fresh brewed coffee, tea, or a cold beverage.
Visit The Next Chapter Books and Art at 320 S. Front St. Monday – Saturday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., call 252-633-5774, visit TheNextChapterNC.com, or check out their Facebook page.
Thank you, Mary Jo, for the warm welcome and tour of your wonderful book store, art gallery, and local meeting place!
Wendy Card