Christian Science Reading Room ~ Kay Weed

Meet Kay Weed at the Christian Science Reading Room

“You never know what may bring you to Ithaca, but once you’re here, you feel at home,” says Kay Weed, manager of the Christian Science Reading Room. The Reading Room is a bookstore and library where everyone is welcome to enjoy this quiet place for reading, prayer, and study.

Prior to moving to Ithaca in 1989, Weed worked as the Eastern Region Advertising Manager for The Christian Science Monitor newspaper in Boston, Mass. She moved to Ithaca to serve as a sales and marketing director at McKenzie-Childs, a nationally known ceramics manufacturer with a site in Aurora, NY. Weed knew the company’s owners, Victoria and Richard McKenzie-Childs, through her work at The Christian Science Monitor. While working for the McKenzie-Childs, Weed fell in love with the region’s agricultural surroundings and the spiritual adventures The Christian Science Reading Room has to offer to the community. She’s been working at the Reading Room for the past 12 years. 

“I carry a strong enthusiasm for sharing and delving into life’s sweet possibilities with others. The joy of life brought to light in science and health spills out in lots of ways. I am particularly passionate about the area’s fabulous local farms, farmers, Farmers Market, and fruit growers! I’m always among the first to pluck that luscious June strawberry. Freshly picked strawberries, blueberries, apples, and ground cherries do find their way into the Reading Room,” says Weed.  

The Christian Science Reading Room has existed in downtown Ithaca since 1901, occupying its current location on South Cayuga Street since 2001. It is a unique bookstore, with interesting resources and a caring, homey atmosphere that customers find nurture their well-being. It is the only place in town where individuals can purchase the groundbreaking spiritual self-care guide, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, and The Christian Science Monitor, a trusted global news source.

“It’s immensely rewarding to sell books and magazines that are enriching and transforming lives. It’s a real delight to engage with products and conversations that offer hope, uplift, fresh possibilities, and spiritual healing. Our friendly staff welcomes conversations and questions exploring fresh perspectives of wellness and healing.” says Weed.

You can learn more about Kay Weed and the Christian Science Reading Room by visiting its downtown Ithaca site at 117 S Cayuga St. 

The Faces of Downtown Ithaca

Some say the best referrals come from trusted family and friends. In Downtown Ithaca, quality recommendations often come from speaking directly to our hospitable downtown business owners and managers. Afterall, who knows their business best than the business owner themselves.

Welcome to Faces of Downtown Ithaca where we’ll give you an insider’s look at downtown’s shops, let you meet your shopkeepers, and restaurateurs who provide this area with some of the finest shopping, dining, and attractions that the Finger Lakes Region has to offer.

Not only do these folks work here, but they also dine, shop, and play here. Many of them also live here, too! This is their Downtown Ithaca and now, they are sharing some of their histories with you.

#facesofdowntownithaca