Jamestown: Hometown 2.0 – Emily Steele, Owner of The Story Nook

Emily Steele didn’t grow up in Jamestown. She grew up in Laurel, Mississippi, and first connected with the community through an unexpected route: a Yahoo teen chat room.

“That’s where I met my husband, Brandon, who grew up here in Jamestown,” Steele says. After their wedding in Mississippi, she moved north. Twenty-two years later, Jamestown is home.

Steele’s path to owning The Story Nook was anything but traditional. She explored interior design, party planning and floral design, and spent years raising her and Brandon’s four children. Along the way, her love of books, art and creating special experiences began to take shape as a business idea.

The Story Nook started small, in a corner of her cousin’s children’s boutique. It didn’t stay small for long. When the opportunity came to open a storefront of its own, Steele took the next step. The business has since grown beyond a bookstore to include The Story Nook Cottage, a creative and event space for birthday parties, art classes, workshops, camps and gatherings for all ages.

“Being a small business owner means wearing a LOT of hats,” Steele says. “But I absolutely love getting to combine my passions while creating a place where families can connect, be creative, and make lasting memories!”

Watching the business grow has been a career milestone, but Steele says some of the most meaningful moments come from seeing children who visited when The Story Nook first opened grow up alongside it.

“Knowing that our little business has become part of so many families’ stories makes every milestone that much more meaningful.”

Small business ownership has brought its share of challenges, sacrifices and lessons learned along the way. Steele says it takes hard work, faith and perseverance, and that the support of customers and neighbors matters. Every family through the door and every encouraging word helps make a difference.

That community spirit is part of what she loves about Jamestown. Steele appreciates the wide-open prairie, its sunsets, familiar faces and the way people come together. Raising her family here and getting to know local families and fellow business owners have made her feel connected to the place she now calls home.

“I may not have been born and raised here, but Jamestown has certainly captured my heart!”

November is National Entrepreneurship Month, a chance to recognize the people who take an idea and build something meaningful in their communities. Steele’s journey is a reminder that a big dream doesn’t need to begin in a big city or even in a big space.

“You don’t necessarily need a big city to pursue a big dream,” she says. “There is room here for fresh ideas, creativity, entrepreneurship, and people who are willing to help our community grow.”

For Steele, that dream is still growing: a welcoming place where children feel inspired, families feel at home, and a little everyday magic can be found.

This November, consider stopping by The Story Nook and exploring Jamestown’s locally owned shops. Small Business Saturday is November 28, 2026, and supporting local businesses is one way to help make our community a place where more dreams can take root.