Page and Petals, an all-ages, fiction-only bookstore, will open this coming Saturday, November 9, in Wappingers Falls, N.Y.
Located at 2692 W. Main St., the store has about 1,100 square feet of selling space along with a 550-sq.-ft. deck, and will carry all new titles for children, teens, and adults. All of the store's inventory will consist of fiction, with literary fiction, thrillers/mystery, romance, and fantasy represented. There will also be an assortment of Spanish-language titles for kids.
Alongside books, owner Jackie LeVan will stock a variety of gifts and sidelines, including stickers, bookmarks, stationery, kids' sensory bags, candles, mugs, and totes. Her event plans include traditional book clubs as well as silent book clubs, author signings, tarot readings, floral workshops, and yoga sessions on the deck. LeVan will also periodically host vendor pop-ups.
Asked about the store's fiction focus, Levan said, "Our region has so many amazing bookstores, but we realized there wasn't a niche bookstore in the area. I have read and loved fiction for as long as I can remember, and thought it would be a perfect fit for the community."
Prior to launching Page and Petals, LeVan was a stay-at-home mom. LeVan recalled that she and her husband had been talking about owning their own business for years now, and after joining the online book community a few years ago, and seeing how beneficial a bookstore could be for the community, "we decided to take the leap."
Starting in August, LeVan began making pop-up appearances and introducing community members to the bookstore, with the last appearance taking place on Saturday, October 12.
"The community has been absolutely incredible, showing support for our store opening and following along our journey on Instagram," LeVan said. "We are so lucky to have the support we do from them." --Alex Mutter