The Novel Narwhal opened a pop-up location inside Aromas on Oak in Roanoke. (Cody Thorn/Community Impact)
The Novel Narwhal found a new location in Roanoke, moving into a space within the Aromas on Oak coffee shop in August.
A closer look
The business, which started as an online bookstore, previously had a space at The Market at Roanoke. The Market relocated to Keller in May, but that location was not a fit for Kelli and Melissa Whall's book business.
Kelli Whall said the coffee-and-bookstore mix is a perfect match.
“We really enjoy the customers at Aromas and, as time progresses, we look forward to learning more about the books they like so we can tailor our onsite inventory,” she said. “In the meantime, anyone can request custom orders at any time by reaching out through social media or our website.”
The Novel Narwhal held a grand opening for its new pop-up location Aug. 22 at Aromas on Oak in Roanoke.Cody Thorn/Community Impact
The details
Ryan Buck and Kirsten Trudo-Buck, the owners of Aromas on Oak, provided a space for the bookstore to reopen.
Ryan Buck said that The Novel Narwhal hosts a silent book club in the coffee shop once a month.
“It just made sense for us because they're such an awesome couple and they’ve been very supportive of us,” he said. “Why not bring books into a coffee shop? They kind of go together, and the response from the community is just awesome.”
The background
The Whalls launched the bookstore in 2022, starting online and then going to vendor markets and special events. Their first booth was at the Roanoke Hometown Holiday event in December 2022.
Kelli Whall said that the family often looked for independent bookstores when they traveled and found very few in the area.
“We also loved the idea of making books more accessible to families and helping people—especially kids—find books they’re excited to read,” Kelli Whall said.
