NEWBERG, Ore. — Chapters Books & Coffee, located at the corner of First and College streets, is celebrating its 20-year anniversary under the ownership of Maureen and Bill Rogers.
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“I never thought about making it to 20 years until I realized it was here,” Maureen said. “You just put your head down and start working.”
A Legacy of Community and Books
In 2003, Polly and Brent Peterson opened the original Chapters Books & Coffee at the historic Morris, Miles & Company General Store building at 701 E. First St. The building had stood vacant for nearly two years, previously housing the Newberg Fitness Center, Crown Discount Store, and various hardware stores according to George Fox University’s Mapping our History project.
“It was the first time in my adult life that I saw someone doing something and got envious,” Maureen said. “But it wasn’t the right time. I was still homeschooling—it just wasn’t the right time.”
Maureen called Polly to congratulate her and mentioned that two of her five children—Courtney and Cole—were looking for jobs. They were hired before opening day, and the part bookstore, part coffee shop was off and running.
About a year in, Maureen heard that Chapters needed help running the bookstore side of the business. As a prolific reader with a bachelor’s degree in English literature, she started working a few hours per week.
Six months later, on April 1, 2005, she and Bill purchased the entire business.
Finding Success Through Stability
Maureen stepped into the role without any business experience and said she struggled with imposter syndrome for the first decade.
“There’s no reason why this should have worked,” she said. “I was a stay-at-home parent for five kids and homeschooled them. I had no business experience. I just figured if I can keep a house running, why can’t I apply the same methodology to running a business?”
That methodology led to slow, steady growth. By controlling spending and avoiding debt, she ensured the business could cover wages and expenses while setting aside money for repairs and improvements.
“I was terrified of making a mistake,” she said. “So I was very careful with my money. If I couldn’t afford to pay for something outright, I just wouldn’t do it until I could.”
That approach helped Chapters survive economic downturns, including the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“People see coffee as a luxury,” she said. “And it is, but it’s an affordable luxury that provides people with a central place to connect. For example, in 2008 when many people had to cancel their vacations, they would still come through the shop to get their carbs and coffee and relax for a few minutes. We became a little vacation spot.”
Renovation and Revitalization
By the mid-2010s, Maureen said Newberg’s downtown was struggling. A 2010 New York Times article reviewing The Allison Inn & Spa had described Newberg as “a drab suburb of Portland and the gateway to Oregon wine country.”
“There were a lot of vacant businesses at this time,” she said. “The town was going through a significant change. It was not thriving. It was not vibrant at all.”
Around the same time, the awning on Chapters’ building, installed in the 1950s, was beginning to fail. Rather than repair it, Maureen and Bill teamed up with former Newberg Downtown Coalition executive director Mike Ragsdale to secure a $97,000 revitalization grant from the Oregon Main Street program to restore the building’s exterior to its original 1891 appearance.
The construction took four months, during which Chapters remained open.
“It was four months of hell,” Maureen said. “The front looked like a haunted house. There was scaffolding everywhere, tarps flying around, plywood hallways, big homemade signs that said, ‘We’re open,’ and limited light because the windows were blocked.”
The changes improved both aesthetics and visibility, as the new windows allowed more light inside and made it easier for street traffic to see the store was open.
A Business Built with People
Chapters manager Kara Estep, who has worked there for nearly 11 years, said the store’s success is rooted in Maureen’s leadership and willingness to listen to employees.
“She’s a great business owner all around because she genuinely cares about her people,” Estep said. “To work at a job that you enjoy is rare.”
Assistant manager Katia Reid, who joined in 2019, said she knew Chapters was the right fit from the moment she walked in.
“There was a vibe,” she said. “You walk in and feel the presence, understand what’s happening, how people are interacting. Chapters had the right feeling.”
Reid said she frequently sends Maureen new ideas, ways to expand offerings, or streamlined processes to the point where she knows the questions Maureen is going to ask, and researches before making her pitch to ensure she’s fully fleshed out the idea.
“They have gifts that I don’t have, and I’ve got gifts they don’t have,” Maureen said. “I think it’s really healthy and important to have a healthy mix of people with different skills and talents. Together, we make a great team.”
An Incubator for Local Business
At any given time, at least four businesses operate within Chapters’ walls.
Estep launched two ventures during her time at Chapters—&East Woodwork and Expansions Games, the latter a joint project with her husband. She credits the shop with giving her a low-cost way to get started.
“There’s no way we would have been able to afford space otherwise,” she said. “Chapters encouraged us to start.”
Other businesses include Whimsy Books, a book repurposing craft company, and Cream Northwest, which serves homemade ice cream.
Cream Northwest came to occupy the northeast corner of Chapters somewhat randomly. Maureen said she would frequently see Cream owners Mike and Helen Roberts walking in front of her house. The Roberts’s ice cream cart started operating outside of the Chehalem Winery space in 2015, but they were looking for a brick-and-mortar location.
In Feb. 2019, Maureen said she “half-jokingly” offered to move some bookshelves around to make some room for them.
“Mike came in the next day and asked if I was kidding,” Maureen said. “Which, yes I was. But then I went home and talked to Bill about it, and we thought that could be a really cool idea.”
“The timing was really perfect,” Mike said. “It’s nice to be in a positive space where both our businesses can help each other, especially during the pandemic.”
Most recently, Reid and business partner Hunter Anderson (a former Chapters employee) started Chapters the Cart. While sharing a name and branding, the two have no financial business ties. Rather, it’s a way for both businesses to operate for their needs while boosting each other’s visibility in the marketplace.
“I had no interest in running a cart myself,” Maureen said. “But Katia (Reid) and Hunter both had this idea and thought it would be very successful. I think it’s great what they’re doing with it.”
Reid said she and Anderson approached Maureen about the cart idea in 2022 and proposed a business plan, licensing Chapters’ name. That way, it could act as marketing for the physical shop, while serving area events and wineries that wanted to serve specialty coffee drinks to their guests.
“She was on board immediately,” Reid said. “She’s helped us so much—she’s incredibly generous in helping and supporting as we were establishing, and in some part because of that support, we’re growing.”
A Milestone Celebration
Chapters Books & Coffee is celebrating its 20-year milestone with a community event during Newberg’s First Friday on April 4, 2025.
“The 20 years of Chapters is a celebration,” Reid said. “It’s a celebration that acknowledges how much Bill and Maureen put in—whether they know it or not—and for the community who has invested in Chapters and our lives.”
Throughout March, employees have set up a wall where regulars can add Polaroid photos and written memories. Local photographer and barista Scott Gaede has taken headshots of over 100 regulars for a photo collection honoring the occasion.
The celebration culminates on First Friday with 20% off all drinks all day, followed by coffee, wine, merchandise, charcuterie, treats, and live music from Victor Artis from 5 to 8 p.m.
“We have watched this community build friendships across tables, grieve losses together, show up when we needed you most, care for one another, support our baristas and their creative pursuits, live with us through graduations, engagements, marriages, divorces, children, coming outs, sickness, and deaths,” Reid wrote in the event description. “This all truly encapsulates a full life. We have been so honored to be that third place for our community—Newberg’s living room.”
Disclosure: Branden Andersen is the former executive director (2024-2025) and a current board member of the Newberg Downtown Coalition.
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