I'm Allyson McCabe, a Hastings-based journalist, author, wife, and mother of three kids and two dogs. Chances are you've seen me around HoH, heard my stories on NPR, or read them in the New York Times, BBC Culture, and other publications.

In May 2023 University of Texas Press published my book Why Sinéad O’Connor Matters. On tour, I had the chance to meet with readers across the country to talk about all the things O'Connor stood for- speaking out against child abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia, and more. When she died that July, it was devastating, but it ignited my desire to create a place where we can keep having the conversations we most need to have, conversations that can make the world a better and more just place.

And then I realized that place is a bookstore. Not just a store to buy books, but a home for the ideas in books, a place where culture and community can come together around ideas and solutions. In addition to carrying bestsellers and works by local authors, we'll feature books that celebrate music, arts, and culture. We’ll host readings plus film screenings, art installations, listening parties, and more. And we’ll hold workshops where we can teach and learn from each other, spotlighting the abundant creativity of Hastings and our neighbors in the Rivertowns. 

To ensure that these priorities are built into our plans, I’ve established this venture as a public benefit corporation- a mission driven for-profit enterprise which will empower the bookstore to be innovative, inclusive, and sustainable. I’m calling it "Vanishing Ink Books & Ideas" because I see it as the antidote to banned books and censored curricula, the disappearance of local newspapers, and the diminishment of public and independent media. I envision Vanishing Ink as a place where the ink never vanishes, built for you and with you.