Trystyn Miller
Life Editor
Located on the corner of Main Street is yet another beautiful bookstore: Hygge Place. The owner, Cammy Barrera, welcomed me into the store earlier this week; as soon as I entered, it was clear that this was a very special place. Barrera explained that she was always interested in creating a space where people could just hang out, “I originally loved house plants. I have always been a reader, too. There really is nothing here that sells houseplants like we do. Also, yes, I loved reading, but I really wanted to create something to bring people together.” This fact is one of the aspects that makes this store so unique. In addition to selling both new and used books, Hygge sells a wide variety of houseplants.
Though Barrera bought the building with a business in mind, she rented it to other tenants for a few years before Hygge Place opened, “the windows, and everything…being on the corner on Main Street, I just knew I wanted to do something in here.” Hygge Place officially opened its doors in December of 2023.
Barrera informed me that her books come from all different places, “New books I order from the publishers and then for used books, I thrift…I do a little of buybacks, so people will come in and donate books. I have a few places that I order used books from, so I really get books from everywhere.” Barrera also mentioned how thankful she is for the overwhelming support from the community. She expressed that business has been going well, thanks to the members of downtown Pocatello, “I think there will always be challenges, but growing and doing more is the best we can do.”
Additionally, Barrera and I discussed how the bookstore community works Downtown, “I feel like we all offer very different things, and so it kind of works out for all of us. I also think a lot of people will make their rounds and go to all the bookstores downtown. I also feel like this is such a small town; having good vibes is important…I send people to the other stores all the time.” It is clear that there is a sense of community between the many bookstores downtown.
With the one-year anniversary coming up, Hygge Place looks forward to celebrating with the community. Hygge also throws monthly events that community members can look forward to, such as craft nights and a book club. More information about when these events will be held can be found on Hygge’s Instagram page @the_hyggeplace, as the dates vary.
During December this year, Hygge will also be throwing a Winter Solstice event for Downtown Pocatello. The Solstice is on the 21st of December, but the event will be on a Saturday evening, “Last year, we put a firepit outside and had food and drinks. People would write down one thing they wanted to let go for the year and throw it in the fire. We had a few vendors at the event, so it ended up being really fun.”
There is something extremely special about this little bookstore. Immediately after entering, I was hit with an overwhelming sense of acceptance and warmth. Whether you go down in search of a new book or want to add a new plant to your collection, Hygge is one of the best options there is. Downtown Pocatello is extremely lucky to have Cammy Barrera as one of its tenants, who has created a beautiful environment during this cold winter season.
