Natisha Asbell, owner and founder of the monthly book and self-care subscription service Authentic Books, is planning to open a bricks-and-mortar store in Orlando, Fla., this fall, Your Community Paper reported.
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| Natisha Asbell | |
Asbell has found a space at 1815 N. Orange Ave. in Orlando's Ivanhoe neighborhood and is looking to have the bookstore open in early October. She's launched a crowdfunding campaign with I Fund Women to help her offset the opening costs, which has raised over $3,100 so far. When it opens, it will be Orlando's first BIPOC woman-owned bookstore.
As a bricks-and-mortar store, Authentic Books will carry a wide selection of contemporary fiction and nonfiction along with plenty of self-care products sourced from other small businesses around the U.S. Asbell also plans to offer a gift box-building service for customers, and she wants to host author readings, book clubs, candle-making classes, and more.
Asbell will continue to offer the Authentic Books subscription service, which has more than 600 monthly subscribers, and she noted on Facebook that the new physical space will allow her to grow that service even further. 5% of the subscriptions' profits go toward supporting children's education and literacy projects.