Charter Books » Independent Bookstore Directory

The story of independent ideas and human rights in America is incomplete without the Rhode Island Royal Charter of 1663. Authored primarily by Newporter John Clarke and signed by King Charles II, the Charter created in Rhode Island the first self-governed political state in North America, acknowledged the rights of indigenous peoples to their own land, and guaranteed its settlers freedom of religion. Historian Thomas Bicknell called the Charter “the grandest instrument of human liberty ever constructed.”

Store Hours

Monday – Wednesday, 10am – 5pm

Thursday – Saturday, 10am – 8pm

Sunday, 12pm – 5pm

OUR STORE

The name of our bookstore is a tribute to the Newporters of 1663 who placed their faith – literally – in the power of the written word to enact change and secure essential liberties.

Founded in 2020, Charter Books is a Newport-based business whose mission is to cultivate community and a robust local culture through a broad selection of books, programming, and the free exchange of ideas. We’re committed to exceptional customer service and the values of inclusion, diversity, and independence.

Steve Iwanski

FOUNDER

Steve Iwanski grew up in Tiverton and got his start in retail working summer jobs at the Sakonnet Boathouse and the Army-Navy Surplus. He graduated from Tiverton High School and the University of Notre Dame. In 2010 he joined Teach For America and taught high school English for four years in the Mississippi Delta. In 2014 he was hired as a bookseller at Turnrow Books in Greenwood, MS. When author and owner Jamie Kornegay stepped away from the store in 2016, he asked Steve to serve as manager. Under his management, Turnrow was Main Street Greenwood’s 2017 Retailer of the Year and the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Small Business of the Year. He also served as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Retail Committee and served for two years as a board member of Main Street Greenwood. He’s excited to bring his passion for community and bookselling back home to Newport County.