Jenny Kinne, who purchased Books & Mortar Bookstore, Grand Rapids, Mich., in 2018 from co-founders Jonathan Shotwell and Christopher Roe, plans to relocate the bookshop to a larger space across the street from its current location on Cherry St. by November.
In an Instagram post this week, Kinne wrote that she had "some BIG news to share. Your little neighborhood bookstore is growing up! Books & Mortar began about 4 years ago as a dream of its remarkable founders (lookin' at you Christopher and Jonathan) to build a progressive community space filled with great reads, art, discussion, and activism.
"When I took over two and a half years ago, Books & Mortar already felt like home. Even though I knew so little about being a small business owner, I had confidence that if I built on the store's original mission and made a space that felt like home for everyone, good things would happen. What I couldn't have predicted was the speed and strength with which good things happened. Your love for us, books, our neighborhood, and our world has allowed us to thrive and to BUY A NEW BUILDING. We will be moving across the street to 966 Cherry, where we are in the process of creating a space that will double our capacity for bookselling and community building!"
Kinne added that in November, "this proudly progressive, consciously curated, and fiercely independent bookshop will have a new home. All of us booksellers will bring you through the transformation of our new space because this place belongs to you, too. We can't wait to show it to you. We cannot thank you enough for making this possible. Stay tuned as we get to work!"