More than just another bookstore or Etsy shop, Storybounders offers an immersive experience that brings books and stories to life.
Storybounders had a booth at FanX last September, and crossing the threshold was like stepping into an old English bookstore. Artfully decorated and stocked with classics, it was like leaving the world of aliens and comic book heroes behind for a moment.
Jayme and Steve Smith created the concept for Storybounders in 2008, when the Lehi Arts Council wanted to host a Halloween concert, but with something unique. The Smiths came up with the idea to use characters from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with a Greek chorus acting as narrator. Members of the choir dressed as characters from the famous story, stepping out and pantomiming different parts of it. It was a rousing success, especially the headless horseman with a flaming pumpkin.
From there, the Smiths had the idea to bring Storybounders and the concepts behind it to more people through popup bookstores, such as the one at FanX.
They also stage immersive events as a way to share stories. Two themes they have planned for 2025 are Grand Victorian and Thanksgiving 1621. The Thanksgiving event will showcase the experiences of Pilgrims experiencing the first Thanksgiving. Striving for authenticity, actors, decor, costumes and props all combine to make participants feel as though they are really there.
The Smiths love telling stories, and according to Jayme, “Our mission is to help people build their story reservoir. Everyone has one — stories they are exposed to in books, movies, video games, and conversations. Stories come in all different forms and become part of you. They inform you. They can influence how you make decisions, change your perspectives, and give a depth to draw from. That can be extremely important, especially in times of crisis.”
Creating a popup bookstore is labor intensive. “It takes two days to set it up, whereas most vendors take a day or an hour,” Jayme says. But the attention to details helps create a true experience instead of just another stop at another booth.
The immersive experiences can take even longer to put together. This summer, Storybounders will stage the Little Women experience.They try and pick stories that people are familiar with and can get lost in. As Jayme says, “We want people to come and spend a day with the March sisters and see what they would do, what they would eat, how they would dress, and dance, and play.” The event will travel to Boise in April and to Logan in May. And of course, there will be copies of the book, as well as other books, available for purchase.
In their quest to bring stories to everyone, the Smiths also host a podcast, spending time on literature and stories from history, or focusing on a movie to encourage people to build their story reservoir. Their theme is “Stories that shape our world: Uncovering heroes, history, and hidden tales.
For those unable to attend the immersive experiences in person, the Smiths host Instagram events. In February, they had a Robert Burns Night, featuring Scottish food, bagpipes, tartans and a reading of his poem, Ode to Haggis. The events are meant to be experienced live, but are saved for access later on. There are also nighttime fireside readings with someone reading a story you can fall asleep to.
Born to their love of stories, the Smiths are on a journey to collect and share great stories in as many diverse ways as they can.
Feature Image from The Little Women Experience. Photo by Dalton McIntire, courtesy of Jayme Smith.
