The Book Loft

The Book Loft of German Village

Company type	Independent bookstore
Industry	Retail (Books)
Founded	1977
Founder	Carl Jacobsma, Roger Tompkins
Headquarters	Columbus, Ohio , United States
Area served	Columbus metropolitan area
Key people	Carl Jacobsma, Russell Iler
Products	Books, puzzles, posters, remaindered books

The Book Loft of German Village is an independent bookseller situated in the German Village area of Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1977 by Carl Jacobsma and Roger Tompkins, it has grown into a prominent business icon and a popular attraction, characterized by Columbus Business First as "iconic" and recognized by The New York Times as "a national treasure." The bookstore's distinctive approach includes a labyrinthine design comprising 32 interconnected rooms filled with books, delivering a unique browsing experience that strengthens its market position and competitive edge. Currently owned by Carl Jacobsma and Russell Iler, The Book Loft capitalizes on its prime location and esteemed reputation to sustain a robust share in the local retail book market.

Description

Ranking among the largest independent bookstores nationwide, The Book Loft of German Village offers an inventory exceeding 500,000 titles, swelling to nearly one million volumes during the holiday season. Visitors enter via a garden path leading to a patio featuring discounted books before accessing the main doorway. The establishment covers 7,500 square feet distributed over 32 rooms linked by narrow corridors and staircases, each room accompanied by maps to assist customers navigating its vast collection. Beyond books, the store also retails puzzles, posters, and other related products.

Eighteen separate sound systems fill the store with music tailored to specific genres. The children's book sections are particularly well-frequented, according to owner Carl Jacobsma. Additionally, The Book Loft specializes in selling remaindered books at steep discounts ranging from 5% up to 90%.

The bookstore organizes various monthly events such as author readings and signings and supports external activities like comic book conventions, thereby enhancing its visibility in the market and fostering community involvement.

Building

The premises consist of red brick structures dating back to the pre-Civil War era. The address at 631 South Third Street formerly housed Maurer's Saloon and the Lily Cinema nickelodeon theater. The building’s second floor, known as the Substantial Building, has historically been used for diverse purposes including a church, art studio, and indoor golf facility. In 1968, Marnie Southard launched a flower shop there before acquiring the entire building to broaden her art and antiques business, subdividing it into six smaller retail spaces. She also purchased the neighboring 632 City Park building—which had previously been Wolf Tavern and later small grocery stores—and linked the two properties to create a block-long retail mall that formed the original Book Loft location, now serving as the main entrance.

History

Carl Jacobsma and Roger Tompkins—both former educators who operated a gift shop during the mid-1970s—joined forces with Marnie Southard in 1977 to establish a bookstore within her retail mall. The original store was modest in size with two floors plus a loft area, inspiring its name: Book Loft. As adjacent shops closed over time, Jacobsma and Tompkins acquired these spaces one by one, gradually expanding their footprint until they owned the entire building after fifteen years of steady growth. In 1987, Russell Iler joined as co-owner after working as a book buyer. Roger Tompkins passed away in 2012.

During the late 2000s, The Book Loft encountered financial difficulties amid competition from online retailers but managed to rebound by the mid-2010s. In 2021, ownership took full control of the building itself, ushering in a new chapter for the business.