Love Affair Bookstore, which will focus on romance books, gifts, and merchandise, will open in mid-July in Midland, Tex., the Midland Reporter-Telegram reported.
Located at 1000 N. Midkiff Road, the store will have a sofa, chairs, outdoor seating, and charging stations. Founder Heather Hall, who was born and raised in Midland, is encouraging local book clubs to meet at the store and plans to host book signings and author appearances. Besides books, Love Affair will offer sweatshirts, shirts, bracelets, house shoes, hats, book totes, coasters, book holders, and other gifts.
Hall described the store as "just somewhere for all the moms and women to come hang out and get books that they can't find anywhere, or they're not tucked back into the back of Barnes & Noble in that romance section that's so tiny and they don't have to be embarrassed that they read it. It's somewhere they can talk to everyone else about what they're reading and hang out."
She noted that while women are the store's target audience, men are welcome in the Love Affair Bookstore, too, and that she has received "an outpouring of support from men in the area."