Brused Books hosted its biweekly open mic night on Sept. 19, inviting attendees to browse the bookstore’s shelves, listen to live readings or share their own creative works.

“It’s a combination of community and a shared love for the arts,” said creative writing director Linda Russo.

Participants read short stories and poems or played music, surrounded by towering bookshelves.

“We’re surrounded by books and people who really enjoy art,” senior philosophy major Heather Taylor said. Taylor served as the event’s MC, helping organize and run the night. 

Attendees shared works by poets like Emily Dickinson and Rita Dove, along with original pieces spanning various genres. Themes ranged from personal reflections to current social issues.

The bookstore’s open mic has become a space for connection, where participants engage with each other during intermission, browse the shelves or grab free concessions from the front desk before the second half of the event.

Brused Books has been hosting Open Mic Night since the 2024 spring semester. Previously, the event was held at Café Moro from 2014 to 2020 and within WSU’s English department, but since moving to Brused Books, it has seen a rise in student participation.

“People come to appreciate the arts,” Russo said.

“My professor Collin Criss got me into it,” Taylor said, reflecting on her involvement. “His excitement about literature brought me here, and once I came, I kept coming back.”

Open Mic Night at Brused Books offers a relaxed environment where people can bond over shared interests. The next event will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 3.  Event dates and times are posted on Brused Books’ Instagram and Facebook and on posters at the store’s entrance.