Dust & Blush Bookshop will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 25, Independent Bookstore Day, at 116 S Lake St. in downtown Boyne City, Mich., in northern Michigan. The ceremony will be followed by a day of activities for the community.
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| The future home of Dust and Blush. | |
Owned by Rachael Hilliard, the new bookstore features curated romance titles, gifts, and an in-store mocktail lounge, 9&10 News reported, adding that the lounge "serves handcrafted beverages inspired by books to encourage guests to stay and read.... The shop is designed to be a gathering place for events where readers can connect over shared stories and characters"
Hilliard launched a successful KickStarter campaign last fall that raised more than $50,000 toward start-up costs for Dust & Blush. At the time she wrote, in part: "I'm an Air Force veteran, neurodivergent creator, girl mom, and lifelong book lover who found her way back to herself through stories. Opening a bookshop started as a dream I had at eight years old, but slowly as life went on it became a 'someday' kind of dream. The kind you tuck away in the back of your mind while life continues to unfold around you.
"But like all the sweetest love stories, the excitement was persistent. It whispered, 'what if?' even when logic said 'not now.' This summer, while swimming with my family in Lake Michigan, I decided it was time. Time to stop waiting for the perfect moment. Time to stop putting myself last. Time to finally say yes to my biggest dream and not when everyone else was taken care of, but now. (Eldest daughter energy, anyone?)
"So I made a silent promise to myself: it's time to bring this dream to life. For me, for you, for us. For every romance reader who's ever longed for a space to belong, to be inspired, and to find themselves again. Dust & Blush Bookshop was born in the depths of my heart and in the depths Lake Michigan, where I finally decided to chase the dream I'd been saving for 'someday'.... Now, I'm honored to be building Dust & Blush Bookshop. A place where others can find that same sense of peace, belonging, inspiration, and excitement."
Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce director Jennifer Clasman told 9&10 News that the chamber is excited to welcome a new business to town: "This is exactly the kind of business that strengthens the fabric of our downtown. Dust & Blush brings something truly unique to Boyne City; an experience that invites people to gather, connect and stay awhile. It's thoughtful, immersive and perfectly aligned with the vibrant, creative energy we're continuing to build here."