Godmothers, "a local bookstore with a global dream," hosted its grand opening celebration last weekend at 2280 Lillie Ave. in Summerland, Calif. People magazine described the opening as a "star-studded bookstore launch" that included Meghan Markle, her "friend and neighbor Oprah Winfrey, author Shaka Senghor, astrologer Jennifer Freed and the new bookstore's co-founders, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and Victoria Jackson."
Godmothers is "in the center of design-focused Summerland, but the volumes on the shelves are not mere decoration," Santa Barbara magazine wrote. The bookstore "pays homage to the 'godmothers who lit our way,' according to an entryway sign; that is, women who are often unsung supporters and advocates."
The shop's book offerings include a window display, "when you first walk in," highlighting the works of several high profile local authors, Walsh said in an Instagram video, adding that "authors who are local to the area know that this is their hometown bookstore and we celebrate our hometown authors as if they were our hometown heroes, because to us they are."
Walsh and Jackson have big plans for the renovated 1920s barn. There is now a fireplace, a couch and some chairs on a raised spotlit platform, "underlining the fact that Godmothers is destined to be a gathering space for Summerland, which the pair felt was in need of a cultural hub, a place to discuss books and ideas," Santa Barbara magazine noted, adding that Walsh, a former literary agent, and Jackson, a cosmetics entrepreneur, "are determined to remedy that."
In an Instagram post, the co-owners noted that Godmothers "is not just a bookstore, but a place for community, connection, and creativity. With our passion for design and an inviting space, we're transforming the bookstore experience into a retreat where readers and writers come together to celebrate the power of storytelling."