Joybird Books, a primarily used bookstore that opened in Orlando, Fla., in 2021, will close permanently at the end of the month, and starting in November, a romance-focused bookstore called The New Romantics will take over the same space.
On Facebook, Joybird Books owner Andrew Walker explained that things had reached a point where keeping the store open was "no longer financially sustainable." The bookstore's last day of business will be October 26, which coincides with a neighborhood Halloween celebration, and until that time, there will be "massive sales and fun events." Walker also noted that the bookstore's website will remain open after the storefront closes, and it will be revamped sometime "in the near future."
To the store's community Walker wrote: "We first want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has ever come by and said hello, maybe bought some books, maybe bought some art from local creators, or at very least picked up some art supplies from the Orlando Community Art Supply Closet. We love you all, and appreciate all of the warm, kind, and caring energy you have sent our way."
Starting in November, the space will belong to the New Romantics, which made its debut earlier this year as an online and pop-up bookstore. While owner Jane Rodriguez did not specify an opening date, she plans to stock a diverse range of romance titles.
She said the opening inventory will likely consist of some 2,000-2,500 romance titles across sub-genres like contemporary, romantasy, historical, YA, LGBTQ+/Queer, sports, dark, and paranormal. She and her team also plan on carrying books from local and independent romance authors, as well as Spanish-language romance. And while she will be making changes to the space, she told the Community Paper that the Community Art Supply Closet will remain.
Rodriguez wrote on social media that it was "bittersweet to be taking over this location, while losing such an important space in the Orlando community," and expressed her "deepest and sincerest gratitude" to Walker.
"From the moment he originally reached out to me about the space to the thousands of questions he has answered, I am eternally grateful for his part in helping our store come together," she said. "Andrew has so much love and care for the Orlando community and all the people, small businesses, and vendors involved. He has always made sure to put that at the forefront of everything he does and helping us is a testament to all of that."