Books, Gifts & a Story Still Unfolding
Layfette Books & Gifts is a family-rooted popup bookstore serving Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky with carefully chosen new and gently used books, thoughtful gifts, and bookish goods for readers of all ages.
We started Layfette to help bring an independent bookstore back into the everyday life of our community. While our long-term goal is to open a permanent bookstore in Northern Kentucky, we’re beginning the way many good stories begin — one conversation, one reader, one local gathering at a time.
You’ll find us at vendor markets, small business popups, community events, and local partnerships across the region. Wherever we set up, our goal is the same: to create a warm, welcoming space where people can browse, discover, connect, and find something meaningful to take home.
Layfette is a family name with a story.
Our name comes from Roy Layfette Miller II, who grew up believing his middle name was spelled “Lafayette.” Later in life, after receiving a copy of his birth certificate, he discovered the true spelling had been Layfette all along.
We chose the name because it feels personal, rooted, and a little unexpected — the kind of name that invites a second look and a good conversation. In many ways, that’s what we love about books and gifts, too. The best ones often carry a story beneath the surface.
Why “Layfette”?
Our collection includes a thoughtful mix of:
New books
Gently used books
Children’s books
Fiction and nonfiction
Giftable reads
Bookish goods
Stationery, candles, plushies, pottery, and other small gifts
We believe a good bookstore collection should feel both familiar and surprising. We look for books and gifts that are well-made, meaningful, inviting, and worth sharing.
What We Carry
Our popup model gives us the chance to meet readers where they already are — at markets, neighborhood businesses, festivals, schools, churches, and community events. It also gives us the opportunity to listen.
We’re learning what local families are reading, what gifts people love to give, what kinds of events bring people together, and what our community hopes to see in a future bookstore.
Our dream is to grow from popups into a permanent independent bookstore in Northern Kentucky: a place for books, gifts, conversation, discovery, and community connection.
Until then, we’ll keep showing up around town with shelves full of good stories and a table full of thoughtful finds.