Six months ago, before the unofficial opening of her independent bookstore, Courtney Stookey said a particular book inspired her to follow her dream and open a romance-only bookstore.
Now the Lovebound Library is expanding, and Stookey credits the readers and fans who have supported the store since it opened.
Located in Salt Lake City’s Maven District, the bookstore announced plans to expand into the space directly behind it on Saturday – Romance Bookstore Day.
The expansion will take up an area that was formerly home to a medical spa and most recently to secondhand clothing store Re-finery, which moved across the street earlier this month. The expansion will double the size of the store.
The new space will be called the “Lovebound Lounge” and will serve as a plaza with a full seating area, space for more merchandise and events, a public restroom and an expanded back room for more inventory, Stookey said.
The front of the store remains unchanged.
“I feel so lucky that the community is there every week, seriously, every day. It just blows my mind,” Stookey said. “The fact that we can even do this, and hopefully our customers and readers know that we absolutely couldn’t do this without all the support they’ve already shown us.”
Stookey said the Lovebound Lounge will make it easier for her and her staff to run the store in some ways, but it’s also a “thank you for being here for the first six months. It’s a way for us to give back.”
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Courtney Stookey, owner of Lovebound Library, in her bookstore at 900 South in Salt Lake City, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024.
The store has attracted widespread attention, with visits from famous romance authors and mentions in national media, including the New York Times. This week, the store announced that it will soon carry book merchandise from California-based Rebel+Fleur; it already carries other merchandise from authors such as Salt Lake City-based gigi&bo.
Stookey said the store will remain open during the expansion, but customers should check the store’s Instagram account for updates. A grand reopening is planned for Sept. 7, once the expansion is complete, with a book signing by a local author — the first in the area.
As a surprise, the store is also offering 10% off all items on Romance Bookstore Day.
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