There are many local businesses and restaurants on Broadway and 9th Street here in Columbia. It may feel overwhelming at times to know which ones are worth your time and money. I am here to help you with the CoMo Spotlight! Today's spotlight is on a spot on Broadway that is near and dear to my heart: Peace Nook.
Located at 804 E. Broadway between Rally House and Geisha Sushi, Peace Nook would be a "blink and you miss it shop" if it weren't for the two flags perched on either side of the door and the wooden board with flyers that is usually on the sidewalk outside of the shop.
As you enter the door and descend down the stairs, you find yourself in a hippie-haven in the already blue haven of Columbia in the red state of Missouri. You are surrounded by the enticing aroma of what can only be described as...the Peace Nook smell. Books and magazines line the walls of about three-quarters of the shop, food takes up the other one-quarter of the wall space. The books overflow onto tables near the wall as well and vary in topics. If you want a vegan on a budget cookbook, a book on meditation, a book by a feminist icon, a children's book with a message, a used copy of popular young-adult novel, a hiking guide for Missouri, a coloring book of sex positions, a book on both Jesus and Buddha or a memoir by a political figure -- Peace Nook has you covered. If the book you desire is not in the Nook's vast collection, the staff will be happy to order a copy for you, and if you are a frequent (or not-so-frequent) book shopper of the Nook, you can join a book club and rack up a discount.
On racks in the back of the store, there are clothes and accessories that are seasonally appropriate and ethically made. There are shelves with candles and incense and holders for them both next to bundles of sage and bottles of essential oils (all scents that combine to make the aforementioned Peace Nook smell). Accentuating the racks and shelves are bumper stickers on the tops of the walls with various catch phrases and political stances (almost all of which are for sale!), and magnets echoing those bumper stickers on a fridge in the food section.
From DRY soda and flavored iced teas to ethically sourced chocolate to dietary restriction friendly junk food to snacks containing superfoods, the collection of food at Peace Nook is like Whole Foods condensed into two isles. There are plenty of things that you would never see at your average grocery store aisle to perk your attention and make you say "I might as well try it..." and love it or hate it, trying it was an experience.
Among the other things sold at Peace Nook are knick-knacks, locally made items, LGBT pride regalia, jewelry, cleaning supplies and tarot cards -- just to name a few.
What makes Peace Nook so cool, though, isn't just the content of the store, but also what Peace Nook itself stands for. Not only is Peace Nook a store based on ethical consumption and environmental sustainability, it also serves as "an information and social change activism referral center." The Peace Nook is a non-profit organization, primarily staffed by volunteers, and a gathering center for the activists of the city.
As a non-profit, all proceeds go to support the education component of Mid-Missouri Peaceworks. Peaceworks is an organization that is very active in Columbia. They hold "a vision of an ecologically sound, sustainable world and a violence-free community in which human equality and justice flourish. We aspire to create a participatory, cooperative social order in which all individuals can fully actualize their potential free of coercion or violence" as their mission statement read. If you are familiar with Columbia's Earth Day celebration, then you are familiar with Peaceworks.
If you are looking for something off the beaten path, a uniquely CoMo treasure, a place to meet like-minded activists, somewhere to learn more about the environment or a local place to browse books, look no further than Peace Nook on Broadway. The next time you find yourself free and wandering around downtown, wander into Peace Nook; you just may have found your new favorite place.
