Grit City Books, which began as an online bookstore last fall, celebrated the grand opening on Saturday of its new physical storefront at 3116 Sixth Ave. in Tacoma, Wash. Co-founders Jeff Hanway, Kegan Hanway, and Kaitlin Chandler want their store to be "a bookworm's dream--a mecca for curious minds."
Opening day at Grit City |
After the grand opening, Grit City Books posted on Facebook: "Wow. Just... WOW. Yesterday was an incredible day that we will never forget! We started the morning with a line wrapping around the block, @thecollectionbakery sold out TWICE, @civicroasters sold out, @thecleo_nova and @castinglovespell danced and read (the kiddos LOVED it) and we got to finally meet some of you in person.
"To say we are grateful is an understatement. The love we felt yesterday was immeasurable. (I'm pretty sure we cried multiple times). We will be back Tuesday with new releases and hopefully some fully stocked shelves! Tacoma, we love you. We are so excited for our future."
Earlier, Chandler had told the News Tribune: "We are incredibly excited to get to share this labor of love that we've been working so hard on. Every corner of the store has been thought through, every item we sell other than books was handpicked, every design choice we made was to create a warm and welcoming space."
Grit City Books traces its genesis back to the thick of the pandemic. Kegan Hanway had previously told said "the idea of this bookstore grew out of our navigating Covid and lockdowns and the realities of working in a corporate environment... that reevaluation that I think a lot of us went through during Covid... that there was other stuff we could be doing that might have more value to us, to our community."
Chandler noted the co-owners want to create an inclusive space, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community. Grit City Books will host monthly (and family friendly) drag story time, book-release events, author signings, and more.
The shop seeks to offer convenience, "but with the heart of a small neighborhood bookstore," and to foster deeper connections within the community, she added. "There is a renaissance happening where folks (especially Millennials) are hyper aware of where their hard-earned dollars are going and they'd rather spend their money with a local small business rather than a giant corporation. Tacoma, and Sixth Avenue specifically, support small businesses with an enthusiasm that makes it difficult for corporations to exist here."