Shelf Love DSM, a romance-focused bookstore in Des Moines, Iowa, will have its grand opening on Saturday, July 26, Axios reported.
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| Sarah Gardner-Bergan | |
The bookstore, located at 2326 University Ave. in the city's Dogtown neighborhood, will carry a wide variety of romance titles from both traditionally published and independent authors. Owner Sarah Gardner-Bergan plans to host author readings along with events like book bedazzling and bookmark decorating.
Gardner-Bergan began her bookselling career by selling book box subscriptions. From there, she started hosting romance-focused conventions and, seeing the success of other romance bookstores, decided to launch one of her own.
Earlier this spring, Gardner-Bergan launched a Kickstarter campaign to help open the store. It raised $7,441, well above its goal of $2,500.
The opening festivities will begin on July 26 with a ribbon cutting, followed by an afternoon of author signings, with more signings to follow on Sunday. All attendees will receive a ticket for a prize raffle, and additional tickets will be given for every $10 spent. All purchases will come with a Shelf Love sticker and bookmark swag pack.