By 1808Delaware
There are quicker ways to buy a book. The Whispering Page is betting that Worthington readers want something speed cannot provide: a place to browse, talk, enjoy a drink and let the afternoon get away from them. The new independent bookstore, café and bar will officially open Thursday, September 3, at 661 N. High St. in Old Worthington. A ribbon cutting with the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce will begin at 9:00 AM, followed by the grand opening from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
The date was announced on National Book Lovers Day, an appropriate coincidence for a business built around the pleasure of discovering what to read next.
A Store Designed for Staying
The Whispering Page will pair thoughtfully selected books with coffee, light bites, local craft beer and wine by the glass or bottle. Readers will be able to browse the shelves, settle into a chair or gather with others for an event. That combination is central to the store’s identity. The goal is not simply to sell books, but to create the sort of neighborhood place where a quick visit can easily stretch into a couple of hours.
The woman-owned business is run by sisters-in-law Ashley and Devin McCoy, who bonded over books years before they considered opening a store together. According to the store’s official history, the idea took shape in 2025 after two deaths in their family prompted conversations about time, happiness and the danger of leaving meaningful plans for “someday.”
Ashley McCoy came to the project after working in the corporate world. Devin McCoy describes opening a bookstore with her best friend as an opportunity to build a life around work she genuinely enjoys. Together, they envisioned a space rooted in books but shaped just as much by conversation, friendship and community.
Part of a National Comeback
The Whispering Page arrives during a remarkable period of growth for independent booksellers. The American Booksellers Association reported that its membership grew 19 percent in 2025 and has increased 151 percent over the past six years. The organization counted 605 new brick-and-mortar, pop-up, mobile and online bookstore openings during 2025.
The growth is showing up in sales as well. In an ABA survey of 382 member stores, 73.3 percent reported higher sales in 2025 than in 2024.
Those numbers do not mean independent bookselling has become easy. Stores still contend with narrow margins, rising costs and powerful online competition. Their renewed strength instead reflects something large online retailers cannot easily reproduce: knowledgeable recommendations, distinctive selections and physical spaces where readers can meet one another. The Whispering Page is leaning directly into that advantage.
More Than an Opening Day
The store’s early calendar offers a preview of what it hopes to become. Book Bingo is scheduled for September 9, followed by an author signing on September 13 and a midnight release celebration on September 28. Monthly mystery and fiction book clubs are also being developed. Regular hours will be 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Saturday and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM Sunday.
For Ashley and Devin McCoy, September 3 will mark the end of months spent dreaming, designing and building. For Worthington readers, it may be the beginning of a new habit: stopping in for a book and staying for everything around it.
