Novella Books, a romance-focused mobile bookstore, has made its debut with several appearances in southeastern Maine, News Center Maine reported.
Co-owners Lotti Ziervogel and Cailyn Wheeler carry a wide assortment of romance titles with an emphasis on books by independent authors. In addition to the many romance sub-genres available, they also have a small selection of non-romance titles in the "Oops, what are you doing here" section.
The store's first appearance was a soft opening on June 16 at Kit Supply and Co. in Kittery, Maine. Since then they've appeared in Sebago, Freeport, Portland, and Scarborough, among other communities. They've done pop-ups at markets, breweries, bakeries, and even cycling studios, and they've hosted book clubs as well as author signings.
Their most recent appearance was at Sidereal Farm in Vassalboro, Maine, this past weekend, and looking ahead, they plan to travel to new communities throughout Maine over the summer and fall.
Wheeler and Ziervogel began building out the trailer, which they call Ella, near the beginning of the year. Their bookstore plans began when Ziervogel reached out to Wheeler one day and said, "Hey, I have this crazy idea--should we open a mobile bookstore?"
Wheeler agreed, and by early June the trailer was ready to go. So far, they noted, it has gone very well. "It's a dream, it really, really is," Wheeler told News Center Maine.