Tucked inside two old classrooms in a former middle school in Lancaster, The Big Book Nook isn’t your average used bookstore.
There’s no indie-coffee counter. No fluorescent “new releases” wall. Just rows and rows of stories, and a mission that’s just as compelling as any plot twist.
The Big Book Nook is a nonprofit bookstore that donates 100% of its proceeds to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Ohio. That means every secondhand novel, dog-eared cookbook, vintage vinyl record or dusty DVD you take home helps fund mentorship programs for local youth.
The history of The Big Book Nook
The shop’s story started over 50 years ago, when it was known as TWIG 17 and held annual book sales to benefit the Fairfield Medical Center. In 2014, the group set up a storefront, and in 2023, they rebranded and linked arms with Big Brothers Big Sisters, officially becoming The Big Book Nook.
Now located in the old General Sherman Middle School on W. Fifth Ave., the Nook shares the building with the BBBS office. It’s a full-circle kind of setup: books in the front, mentorship in the back.
The space is stacked with everything from board games and vinyl albums to audiobooks and entire shelves of paperbacks priced for less than a cup of gas station coffee. Donations roll in almost daily. If you’re the kind of person who loses track of time at Half Price Books, bring a tote.
And just like the name implies, it really is a nook.
It’s not loud. It’s not flashy. But it’s easy to fall for. And even easier to support.
The Big Book Nook is open Wednesday–Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Sunday–Tuesday. Find it inside the old General Sherman building at 624 W. Fifth Ave. in Lancaster. To learn more about the book store, head over to bbbs-fairfieldoh.org.
