A Look Back: The Little Professor Bookstore in Ann Arbor
Before it became a cozy community staple known as Nicola’s Books (and eventually Schuler Books), the Westgate Shopping Center in Ann Arbor was home to a charming little shop called The Little Professor Bookstore.
The store first opened its doors in 1991 as part of the national Little Professor Book Center franchise. If you grew up in Ann Arbor in the ’90s, there’s a good chance you remember the warm wood shelves, the friendly staff, and the feeling that you could spend hours lost in its stacks. It was the kind of place where you discovered your next favorite book entirely by accident.
For me, the Little Professor wasn’t just a store — it was a thread through time. My mother was the first to discover it, always coming home with the latest Stephen King novel tucked under her arm. By the time I had moved away for my first job, stopping into the store during trips back to Ann Arbor became a quiet ritual. I can still see those stacks of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal near the front. But let’s be honest — my heart belonged to the magazine rack and the sci-fi/fantasy shelves, where time (and space) always seemed to warp a little.
Then came Nicola Rooney, the store’s local hero. She bought the business in 1995, and after a couple of years still flying the Little Professor banner, she rebranded it in 1997 to the now-beloved Nicola’s Books. That name carried the store into the 21st century, keeping its indie spirit alive.
Nicola’s eventually became part of the Schuler Books family in 2014, and while the name may have changed again, the soul of the shop — the thoughtful curation, community vibe, and love of books — remains very much intact.
Even today, I still love spending time there, browsing the shelves, looking for something new and different — and inevitably finding it. That’s the magic of places like this: they grow and change, but never lose the spark that made you fall in love in the first place.
So yes, from 1991 to 1997, Ann Arbor’s bibliophiles got their fix from the Little Professor. And while the name may be history, the heart of the store lives on.
Steven Gregory
As someone who grew up in southeast Michigan with deep roots in the auto industry—nearly every member of my family worked in it—my path seemed pretty set. But I always felt the pull toward something more. I became the first in my family to earn a college degree, working my way through to a BA from Concordia University Ann Arbor, and later, a graduate diploma from the University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto.
Now, forty years into a career as a Supply Chain professional, I find myself turning the page to the next chapter. Outside of work, I’m happiest with a book in hand, planning my next travel adventure, hitting the bike trails, or spending quality time with good friends. I’m also a proud dad to a special education teacher, and I still call Ann Arbor home, where I live with my partner, our two rescue dogs, and three very opinionated cats.
