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| Twila Dang | |
Entrepreneur Twila Dang is the winner of the 2025 Hatch Bloomington business pitch competition, which has awarded her $100,000 to help her launch BookMother, an independent bookstore and community gathering space to be located in Bloomington, Minn. The winning entry was selected based on two rounds of community voting and the work of a seven-judge panel that assessed contestants' pitches at the Top 25, Top 10, and Top 3 stages, Hatch Bloomington noted.
Designed as a modern third space, BookMother will offer "curated books, light fare, and rich programming." The space is built to center on what Dang calls the "Auntie" archetype: a tastemaker who shares books and ideas across generations while welcoming all who are curious, creative, and community-minded. The award will allow Dang to secure a location, complete the buildout of the store, and launch with opening inventory and community programming.
"I'm passionate about this business because it's more than a business to me. It's a love letter to my hometown. It's a space I wish had existed when I was younger, and a space I know my neighbors and community members are ready for now," Dang said in her contest application. "BookMother is about creating something enduring. It's a place where people can gather, grow, dream, and feel at home."
"Hatch Bloomington aligns with the City's goal of cultivating an enduring and remarkable community where people want to be," said Mayor Tim Busse. "BookMother will add vibrancy to Bloomington and create a welcoming space for residents and visitors alike."
Dang told Twin Cities Business magazine that although the Hatch money "basically means we don't have to go out and get a loan to be able to get ourselves off the ground and into a space," her business is not solely reliant on the contest for funding. Other capital initiatives in the works include a founding reader membership, community events like book exchanges and dinners, as well as sponsorship and advertising revenue from a newsletter and podcast.
"Many of these initiatives will continue after the store is open, as well," she added. BookMother is tentatively scheduled to open in the summer of 2026.