On Thursday, Jan. 4, the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Word House bookstore inside the Winona Live building at 25 Kings Hwy., Winona Lake. Pictured is The Word House owner, Sarah Wordhouse, center, cutting the ribbon, surrounded by chamber staff, ambassadors and board members. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WINONA LAKE — Sarah Wordhouse’s plans for retirement included opening a bookstore.

Those plans got moved up, by decades.

On Thursday, Jan.4, the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Word House bookstore inside the Winona Live building at 25 Kings Hwy., Winona Lake.

“The Word House started as a retirement plan, so I retired really, really early,” Wordhouse said in an interview after the ceremony.

“I was not planning on doing it so soon, but I moved down here and I love the area so much, I can’t imagine ever (in other places) starting a bookstore. I just love this community and how walkable it is and how nice and friendly everyone is.”
Wordhouse, 22, is from Grand Rapids, Mich. She’s lived in this area since January 2023.

Her previous job had her working at another bookstore called Betty’s Pages in Michigan. “The owner, Nicole, has definitely been a huge support and part of the reason I got to the place that I am,” she said.

Wordhouse’s mom was a teacher and she believed that if a person can read, they can do anything. “So I’ve loved books since I was young,” she said.

She earned her degree in professional writing and journalism. She knew she was going to work in publishing, though she didn’t know to what end.

“So I was either going to be an editor or an author or I was going to be on the selling book side, so I ended up here,” she stated.

Hours for the bookstore are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. She offers new and used books for all ages in all genres.

With Three Crowns Coffee downstairs from the bookstore, Wordhouse said that was “definitely” on purpose.

“I’m friends with the owner of Three Crowns. When I found this place I asked him if he was interested in getting another location, and luckily for me he was,” she said.

The goal is that people will buy their food and drinks down at Three Crowns and then come up to the bookstore to hang out, do homework and buy books.

“I want it to be a community space,” she stated.