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#WomensHistoryMonth in Central City: Cicada Books and Coffee

Last Updated 3/13/2023

Dawn and Katie: A mother-daughter duo

Dawn Hylbert and her daughter, Katie Norman, are co-owners of Cicada Books and Coffee here in Central City. Cicada opened just after a successful first attempt at selling coffee at Old Central City Days in 2018. Hylbert said she ran another business in Huntington for about 25 years, but she loved reading, and books, and always wanted to open a bookstore. Norman said she can remember her mom and dad always talking about owning a bookstore, she said, “So when I was probably 17, she was living down here, and she saw the building. We started thinking, ‘Like hey, actually, maybe we could do that.”

The Mission

Cicada Books and Coffee is unique as it opened with a mission not to just own a bookstore but to recycle used books and provide books to the community at a low cost. “As people who like bookstores,” Norman said, “when we go out into the world, we felt like what Huntington was missing was like a used bookstore that has, you know, still an interesting selection, still an organized selection, but where the prices are under $10- where you're going to find weird old things rather than, you know, whatever's on the bestseller list this month.” According to their website, Cicada strives to be a welcoming and comfortable community space for all with an inviting atmosphere, friendly staff, interesting events, and a civic-minded attitude.

The two explained the store has slowly expanded, even after taking a hit from the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cicada is also a home for local authors and artists and has expanded its menu, adding lunch and pastry items and more drink options. In addition, they also have book clubs, game nights, and special events in the store. “So we've expanded a new book sense, which has been really good,” Norman said, “But I still feel like the bread and butter of what we're doing here is still the $5 paperback.”

Community Support

Hylbert and Norman said they have definitely had lots of support from the community and have a hardworking staff who push for their business’s success. Hylbert gave a special shoutout to her staff member Dawn Nolan, who does part-time barista-ing, marketing, and event work and has been with Cicada since they started in 2018. In addition, Maddie, a manager, who holds the fort down on day-shift, has also been with Cicada since the beginning. They both said they feel lucky that they could name a handful of people who have backed their ideas for their business and still continue to boost their business with support and be reliable promoters.

Women Empowering Women

Despite how easy one may think it is to be a business owner, Hylbert and Norman show that success does not come easily. Norman said she thanks her mom for helping her discover her role as a small business owner. Hylbert says she believes and hopes her business has inspired young women entrepreneurs. “But if you have enough enthusiasm for it, you can make your business idea work,” Hylbert said, “Which is not to say that it will be super easy to do. It might be a lot of work than you think or expect, but if you really want it, you can do it.”

Visit Cicada Books and Coffee Today!

Celebrate #WomensHistoryMonth by supporting small businesses owned by women. Join us in supporting our women-owned businesses this month like Cicada Books and Coffee by heading down to Central City and purchasing a yummy coffee or a classic paperback. Cicada Books and Coffee is located at 604 14STW. Follow their Facebook for constant updates and visit their website to learn more about their products. Business Hours are Tuesday-Friday 10AM-6PM ; Saturday 9AM-5PM ; Sunday 12PM-5PM.