Shortly after announcing we’ll be opening Books & Mortar, in Grand Rapids, MI, we received a flurry of emails and messages. We loved hearing from the community and since you had so many questions about what’s next for us in the coming months we thought it would be helpful to share with our followers what’s next for Books & Mortar as we move toward opening the store.
Signing a Lease
As you may have heard, we are currently in the middle of lease negotiations which means we are unable to share our store location at this time. As soon as we sign on the dotted line (hopefully soon!) you will be the first to know where we’ll set up shop. We have a feeling you won’t be disappointed.
Announcing our Coffee Friends
Since the inception of Books & Mortar we hoped to partner with some very special local coffee people and we are pleased to say our hopes have become a reality. As soon as they are ready, we’ll announce which local coffee people will open a location in our store. Again, we have a feeling you won’t be disappointed.
Assembling an Events Calendar
As we make connections in the Grand Rapids community we will begin to assemble an events calendar for our first year in business. We hope to have a robust schedule of author readings, book groups, community forums, Q&A panels, storytimes and other engaging community-minded events. If you have an idea for an event and it accomplishes our mission, please feel free to email us and tell us more! info@booksandmortar.com
Selecting an Initial Inventory
Every independent bookstore begins with their best guess when selecting their initial inventory, hoping it will match the interests of the neighborhood and generate sales. We already have thousands of used books in storage and soon we will open accounts with publishers and select thousands of new titles for our opening. Eventually our inventory will be influenced by our customer’s purchasing habits and requests, creating a bookstore that truly reflects the community. This is one of the attributes of indie bookstores that make them so special; over time they can so beautifully reflect the neighborhoods and people of their city.
On top of selling books and traditional sideline items like journals, greeting cards, and games, we will sell hand-crafted products made by artists from Grand Rapids and the Great Lakes region. From paper goods to candles and soaps, we are opening accounts with local artists to bring you a well curated selection of items that will support local companies and enhance your book buying experience.
Moving to Grand Rapids
We plan to move to Grand Rapids on June 1. We will say goodbye to Chicago and thank its people for a fantastic five years, and look forward to a bright future in Grand Rapids’ indie retail scene.
Completing the Build-out
Shortly after settling in, we plan to begin our store build-out which we anticipate will last about two months. This is when some of you can really start geeking-out about the new indie bookstore opening in your neighborhood.
Soft Opening
Here is the exciting stuff! We intend to have a soft opening sometime in August, so you can stop in and purchase a cup of coffee, a book or a gift and extend ample amounts of grace to your friendly booksellers as we figure out how to steer this ship. No more waiting, no more wondering about our location and no more Grand Rapids without a community-minded independent bookstore in the downtown area. When we open our doors to the public later this year, we’ll be excited to finally meet you.
Thanks again and again, Grand Rapids, for your continued support as we set sail on this wild adventure in indie bookselling.
Your friendly booksellers,
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