The Book Loft’s impressive, sprawling history 📚➡️ The building went up circa 1872, operating as a grocery run by John L. Kaiser who lived upstairs. In 1874, the property changed hands to John Maurer, who added a saloon. Through the 1900s, the building was home to a variety of businesses: a nickelodeon theater (The Lily), a toy store advertised as the “Doll Hospital”, an art gallery, an indoor golf school, a western boot shop, a flower shop, various others, and finally, a book shop. The Book Loft opened in 1977 with just three rooms. After eight separate expansions, it now stretches through 32 rooms packed with books from every genre, literary merchandise, and the Midwest’s largest collection of jigsaw puzzles. The Book Loft, along with other local booksellers Cover to Cover, Gramercy Books, and Prologue Bookshop, comprise the columbusbookfestival's official Festival Bookstore – find it next weekend at Main Library. #columbushistory #ohiohistory #bookloft #thebookloft