Whistler's Daughter Books opened late last year at 703 Livernois St. in Ferndale, Mich., with a grand opening celebration in late December. The store is described on its website as a "soulful space for stories and community, where everyone's invited and wonder lives on the shelves. Situated in the heart of Ferndale, we're a bookstore built by a family of artists and readers."
Owner Jay Whistler can trace her lineage to artist James McNeill Whistler, making the bookshop's name a nod to family history. "We want to share our love of creativity and connection with you. Inside, you'll find handpicked books, local artwork, and a space in which everyone is welcome," the store notes.
A profile of the bookstore that appeared in the Ferndale Friends holiday season edition reported that, while there are "always a million reasons not to do something... sometimes you just have to quit your corporate job and finally open the family bookshop you've always dreamed about running. Which is exactly what Linnea and Jay Whistler did last year, when Linnea finally said 'Let's just do it!' and Jay agreed. Now the mother-and-daughter duo are the owner and general manager, respectively, of Whistler's Daughter Books in Ferndale. Hannah Whistler, Linnea's sister, is the assistant manager, and Keith Whistler, the patriarch, is in charge of facilities and operations. In other words, the decades-long family dream is now a reality."
Jay Whistler, who is also a children's book author, said, "When we made that decision, we immediately started attending conferences and doing online training. Now we're both certified frontline booksellers--who knew that was a thing? Any time we traveled, we went into bookstores and asked owners, 'What's the one thing I need to know as a brand-new book seller?' Everybody had a different and equally helpful suggestion."
They also created a business plan setting out their vision and core mission, which is to expand intellectual curiosity, educate one another, explore the wider world and experience a connected community
"The store gives us an avenue for being a force for good in our community," Linnea Whistler said.
The bookstore sells both new and used books. "For the four of us, our biggest passions are art and cooking, so we have a really robust selection of well-curated art books and cookbooks," Linnea Whistler said. There is also a children's section.
The shop's programming plans include book clubs, author events and signings, book release parties, and storytime for the kids. "We want to host different, unexpected activities that bring people in," Linnea Whistler noted.
"We really want this to evolve into a place that can exist as a third space for the neighborhood," Jay Whistler said. "We want people to have conversations and be cozy. Which is exactly what a bookstore should be."