Friends to Lovers: A Romance Bookstore will open this month at 103 South Saint Asaph St. in Alexandria, Va. The Washingtonian reported that owner Jamie Fortin "hopes to include a little of something for everyone. There will be at least one book or two in each major subgenre of romance."
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| Jamie Fortin | |
Describing the store as "a community space" for all people who love romance books, she said, "You're not gonna see just white and straight romance. If you're looking for small town romance, you'll find queer and BIPOC representation. We want to make it so they're not a niche find."
Fortin told the Washingtonian that the bookstore's name has two sources: her own story with her boyfriend as well as the desire to make it clear this store is not for kids. "This is for 'when Mommy needs her wine and to go to the bookstore,' " she said. "It's clearly for adult women and not just about reading smut. It's about spending time with your friends and doing what you love."
When Fortin moved to Alexandria in August, she decided she wanted to contribute to the community of bookstores there, having loved bookstores in D.C. "I wanted something to differentiate from other bookstores, and this felt obvious to me.... In D.C. where it's so transient, people are looking for an in-person space. We've heard of retail 'scaling back'--but niche businesses are 'scaling up' because they're looking to build community."
Thanks to the buzz for Friends to Lovers on TikTok and Instagram, the November 14 grand opening celebration sold out in 24 hours, with 200 people registered, the Washingtonian reported.
Fortin credited the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership mentorship program and free resources for entrepreneurs as well as Alexandria's community of women business owners as a great support system.