Wijaya House, a BIPOC-owned bookstore and flower shop in Tempe, Ariz., will open a second location, in Tucson, Ariz., this coming Saturday, September 5, 12News reported.
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| Wijaya House in Tempe, Ariz. | |
The Tucson location will share a space at 2516 N. Campbell Ave. with the coffee shop Cartel Roasting Co. Events at the Tucson store will include flower arranging workshops, soapmaking classes, writing group meetings, poetry evenings, live music, book bedazzling, themed book swaps, book clubs, and more.
The original Wijaya House, located at 1706 E. Warner Rd. in Tempe, is celebrating its third anniversary next month. It carries a curated selection of books for all ages, along with flower arrangements, jewelry, candles, totes, and more.
Owner Melati Parker opened the store after leaving a 25-year career in healthcare IT. When she started writing business plans, Parker told IndieBound earlier this year, she realized that a bookstore would likely not be tenable on its own. "When I added florals to the bookshop business plan, my forecasts started to look a little less like fiction."
Parker described the store's vibe as "small and cozy and stuffed with rotating collections of titles worth reading." Given that the store is in an area that does not get much foot traffic, Parker has emphasized classes, workshops, and other events since the beginning. Offerings range from flower arranging and calligraphy to book binding and even rolling the perfect joint. Customers can also rent out the space for their own events.
Wijaya House Tempe will be hosting a celebration on Saturday, September 12, honoring "all of you, the light bringers in our lives, the dream makers, the ones who support us in a sea of choices."