Reading & Kneading: The Enola Shop combines laps, cats and a good book

Annika

In the beginning it was a choice between coffee and cats.

That’s what Riley Haring, the son of Michelle and Jason Haring, the owners of Cupboard Maker Books, told me. The couple realized that the two weren’t working well together.

“The cats won,” Riley said.

They certainly do.

Today, three cats live full-time and roam freely at the Enola store: Odin, Annika and Mouse. Others make guest appearances and often appear on the store’s very active social media pages.

“Books, cats and community, that’s what we’re all about,” Michelle said.

A quarter century ago, the Harings started in a small shop at 16 Juniata Ave. in Enola. As avid book readers, they had enough inventory to start, but they quickly outgrew the space and moved.

In the fall of 2003, they were ready to move again, this time to their current location.

“We looked at 15 different properties before we settled on one that was big, ugly and affordable,” said Jason, who painted book spines on the building to make it stand out to passersby. Kristian Beverly, an employee at the time, completed the painting and lettering.

“We painted the whole building with ‘BOOKS’ and from then on 10,000 books came through the front door every month,” Jason said.

The couple’s inventory is now estimated at around 100,000 used books, plus a smaller selection of new books.

With the help of their feline friends, the couple spread the word. They use social media to share funny and entertaining cat videos. Some of them even went viral and caught the attention of late-night talk show hosts.

“One morning I woke up and my phone rang,” Michelle said. “I discovered that our cat Odin had appeared on Taylor Tomlinson’s ‘After Midnight’ show.”

Another time, Newsweek called after a video had been viewed 4.2 million times, she added.

The Harings also attract attention by taking cats on outings to show their support for other local businesses. Queen Annika was recently spotted at Enola’s Whistle Stop, Carlisle’s Destiny Dairy Farm and at 3B Ice Cream in Duncannon, where she sipped on a shake.

Odin

If that’s not enough to get your attention, the couple drives around town in brightly colored cars that feature paw prints and the name of their business, along with cat figurines with names like “Prince Fluffytail,” promoting a book written by the couple’s son, Riley.

Those who have been visiting the store for years may remember their first encounter with Riley as a toddler. He grew up with books – and cats – “working” with his mother behind the counter and cooing in a bassinet. Now all grown up, he writes children’s books with titles like “Prince Fluffytail Chases a Dragon.”

“It shows the bookstore from a cat’s unique perspective,” Riley said.

Another book by him is planned for publication in the fall: “Mouse, Odin and the River Pirates,” inspired by the nearby Susquehanna River and the cats in the bookstore.

On any given day, bookstore customers are likely to see several cats available for adoption.

The bookstore posts pictures on social media of those who have found temporary shelter at Cupboard Maker Books.

“Sometimes we even get some with disabilities,” said staff member Olivia Kepler, adding that a three-legged cat and her brother were adopted together.

Mouse

Kim Cassel, a cat caregiver, said the Harings have been fantastic friends to the fur babies.

“It’s a great way to meet our kittens and get them adopted,” she said.

It’s also a big attraction for the store, as some people come mainly to play with the cats and then leave with a book.

“There’s nothing better than a good book with a cat on your lap to help you read,” she said.

Cupboard Maker Books is located at 157 N. Enola Rd., Enola. For more information visit cupboardmaker.com or their Facebook page.

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