My favorite way to shop is to go to an independent or small business. It’s the best way to get to know people in the community, while also being able to use my limited disposable income to show which businesses I want to support. Recently, me and my fiance moved into a two bedroom apartment which we both are in love with. This apartment is a five minute drive to Cream & Amber, my favorite local book store.

Launch Day! February 2019. Photo taken by Me. 

Cream & Amber opened recently in downtown Hopkins, MN. I went to the launch with my friend and her husband where we were able to have a pint and chit chat. The Happy Hour deals at Cream and Amber are decently priced and it’s never too busy. I like Happy Hour prices, but I don’t like crowds of people swarming the bar for drinks. Cream and Amber allows me to purchase a MN based beer, sip on said beer and buy more books then I could possibly read in a year.

Mmm.. Beer. Photo Taken by Me!

It’s really convenient for me to order books. There’s an email form on their website if you want specific books ordered. They take care of the rest and send you an email when you can pick them up. I’m sure they would ship the order to you, but I like being able to stop in and have a coffee to take with me. I follow Cream and Amber on their Instagram feed and they post good deals on used books. I have messaged them from their story and requested books that way as well. In suburbia, there are two Barnes & Noble within 10 minutes of each other, but I still prefer stopping into Cream and Amber. 

Cream & Amber is now Open. YAY! Photo Taken by Me. 

Cream and Amber is not only a small business, but it’s owned by women! It’s not a requirement for me to support businesses owned by women, but it certainly is a plus. It’s also LGBTQIA+ friendly as well. Cream and Amber also has a book club, but I haven’t been following it enough to know what their October book is.

Cream and Amber is a book store I can’t recommend enough for any of my Minnesotan readers. Their customer service is fantastic and they make buying books easy. If I wasn’t going to Colorado this week, you better believe I would be sending them an email of all the books I need.