For nearly half a century, Lake Country Booksellers has been a gathering place in downtown White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Inside the independent bookstore, customers browse shelves filled with stories, chat with staff about their latest reads and reconnect with neighbors they have known for years.

Today, Kia White is helping write the store's next chapter while honoring the women who built it.

Lake Country Booksellers opened in 1980 when a group of friends, including White's grandmother, Alta Johnson, came together around a shared love of reading and community. What started as a passion project grew into a local institution, changing hands among groups of women over the decades while maintaining its welcoming spirit.

"We call them our founding mothers," White said. "It's really special to have that connection and history."

When White took ownership of the bookstore in early 2026, she inherited more than a business. She became the third generation of her family to steward a place that has long served as a community hub.

"To me, it's always been a very family- and community-based place," she said.

That connection to community remains at the heart of the bookstore's success. Customers often stop in not only to buy books, but to catch up with staff or attend author events.

White said she hopes to build on that foundation by bringing fresh ideas to the business, including expanded community programming, book clubs and new partnerships with local businesses.

At the same time, she is modernizing operations to help position the bookstore for the future. White launched the store's first website, expanded its social media presence and upgraded several long-standing business systems.

To help navigate those changes, she turned to U.S. Bank – where the original owners opened accounts back in 1980 for the business.

A story written over banking and books

White had her first in-depth discussion about the bookstore with Kelly Anderson, a relationship banker at U.S. Bank who is an avid reader, while working through the logistics of taking over ownership.

"I was stressed out because everything was happening fast," White said. "It was awesome to have someone there at U.S. Bank who made me feel like, 'Okay, Kelly's got my back.'"

Anderson helped guide White through the banking aspects of the ownership transition, from updating accounts to implementing new digital banking tools. As White explored ways to modernize operations, Anderson connected her with Samuel Chase, an Elavon market manager. Elavon is a global payments leader and wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bank.

“It’s important to have a banking team who values building relationships across areas of service and include them in client conversations,” Anderson said. “You can do so much more to help a client by doing so.”

The bookstore had been using an outdated payment processing system, and Chase was able to review the setup and identify opportunities to reduce costs without disrupting the customer experience.

"Payment processing is often something business owners don't think about until they see the impact on their bottom line," Chase said. "We were able to show Lake Country Booksellers ways to save money and put those dollars back into the business."

After transitioning to Elavon's payment processing services, the bookstore is projected to save thousands of dollars annually in processing expenses, Chase said. For White, the savings created flexibility as she invests in the future of the business.

Preserving what matters

While White is embracing new technology and exploring new ways to engage readers, she said she is careful not to lose sight of what has made Lake Country Booksellers special for 46 years.

She often talks about the importance of creating a "third space" for people, somewhere beyond home or work where they feel welcome, connected and part of a community.

That vision continues to guide the bookstore as it evolves.

Many customers now bring their own children and grandchildren to the same store they visited years ago. The result is a business built not just on selling books, but on relationships. White sees the same value in her banking partner.

"It's lovely to have that connection with people in town," she said, noting that she and Anderson talk extensively about what they’re reading. "You can go to the bank and know people by name. It feels very special."

As Lake Country Booksellers prepares for its next chapter, White remains focused on honoring the generations of women who came before her while creating new opportunities for the readers who will follow.

"I think of it as stewardship," she said. "So many people have worked hard to keep this store going and keep it this beautiful thing. I just want to honor that and help it continue for the next generation."