By Elizabeth Farrington
RED BANK – Here is some crazy good news for the book lovers of Monmouth County – Crazy Story Books officially opened its doors in Red Bank May 30. Located at 42 Monmouth St., Monmouth County’s newest independent bookstore strives to have a “distinct brand identity,” said owner and founder Rachel Luce. Luce previously worked in advertising for 13 years, and also had “a brief stint” in publishing at MacMillan Publishers, she said.
After moving to Monmouth County from New York City just a year ago, Luce missed having multiple “neighborhood community bookstores,” she said, which led her to open her own business, the bookstore she said she had been “craving.” Taking inspiration from Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, Luce’s prior neighborhood bookstore, she wanted Crazy Story Books to feel personal and curated to customers. Rather than just including the New York Times and Amazon bestsellers, Luce’s shelves hold books that both she and her booksellers want to read.
Before Crazy Story Books, the location was home to Fameabilia, a sports memorabilia shop, but after closing its doors in 2008, the commercial space sat vacant for many years.
When designing the new space, Luce wanted Crazy Story Books to “feel like a cool modern bookstore,” she said. Inside the store is an open-concept floor plan with ample space. There are multiple shelves, some with benches built in the middle, bringing the modern vision to life.
As noted in its tagline, “An Indie Bookshop for Every Reader,” Crazy Story Books is for every reader: the store’s shelves are lined with everything from baby board books to those for middle readers, young adults and adults. The bookshop also has specific categories, such as “romantasy” and “new and noteworthy fiction.”
Luce’s shop honors books, which she claims are the “antithesis of AI.” She is pleased to see that, even in this increasingly digital world, many teens and middle schoolers have been supporting the store, and are “reading more than I thought,” she said.
Ironically, Luce said she feels as though social media has helped in the “resurgence” of reading. Trends such as “BookTok,” TikTok’s popular subcommunity for readers, have brought people into Crazy Story Books looking for a specific book they saw on the app.
Crazy Story Books is also prioritizing community events to help strengthen its unique small business identity. The shop has hosted Bindu Bansinath, debut author of “Men Like Ours.” For younger readers, Crazy Story Books has had a number of Monmouth County published children’s authors do both readings and drawing workshops. Beyond author events, Luce said she is focused on “unexpected programming,” such as the mindfulness and journaling workshop the shop hosted for the summer solstice June 21. The event was led by one of Luce’s booksellers, who is also a meditation mindfulness coach. “It was this moment of pause and reflection in a space full of stories,” Luce said.
Luce is already collaborating with other Red Bank small businesses, such as Project Write Now (PWN). According to its website, the nonprofit has “been committed to building a vibrant writing community for youth and adults” since 2014. PWN partners with schools and “mission-based organizations” to offer writing workshops free of cost. Crazy Story Books and Project Write Now are teaming up to host an upcoming monthly writers’ series called “Write Out Loud,” which is an extension of PWN’s existing program in Asbury Park.
With shelves extending past the popular bestsellers, as well as unique events and partnerships, Crazy Story Books is likely to attract a wide range of customers. Visit in person, online at crazystorybooks.com or on the shop’s page at bookshop.org.
The article originally appeared in the July 30 – August 5, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
