Bards Alley Bookshop, Vienna, Va., will relocate to 103 Church St. NE after 10 years of leasing its current storefront nearby at 110 Church St. NW. Owner Jennifer Morrow said she has purchased the property, former home of John Edwards Hair Design, from John and Deborah Kurcina.
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"When I opened Bards Alley, my goal was to create a village of kindred spirits," she noted. "Educating people through words and discussion is extremely powerful, not only for individual success, but also for social good. Now that we've built the foundation, I want to continue to be a champion for literacy. John and Deborah wanted to preserve the history of the building, and we shared a vision of what it could be for the bookstore. I'm excited to start this new chapter.
"We are overjoyed to have the opportunity to preserve this historic property and find a permanent home for the shop! We are still outlining everything, so no dates are set yet, but keep an eye out on our website and socials for updates."
Morrow told FFXnow that the building, a two-minute walk from the current shop, "is not only the perfect location, the corner of Church and Center streets, but the exact footprint I was hoping to occupy. My primary goal was to remain on historic Church Street, which is a hub for restaurants and small local retail shops. It's a walkable and bike friendly area and easily accessible from the W&OD trail."
She officially took possession of the building on February 5, and the process "remains in the outline stage," with the shop "tentatively" aiming to open its new location next fall or winter, Morrow noted. "This location will have private parking for Bards Alley customers, a dedicated space for events like book clubs, and the building itself, built in c. 1900, has its own history, which was important for me to preserve."