Lovers of love, rejoice! This week we spoke with romance book store The Ripped Bodice co-owner Leah, all the way from sunny Culver City, California. Trying to hold back my jealousy that they’re quarantining with both beautiful weather and endless loads of books…
How did your bookstore transition from concept to reality?
Our journey began on Kickstarter in 2015 where we raised 91k to start our store.
image via @therippedbodice Instagram
What do you feel is unique to your bookstore?
Well, we are one of only two romance focused bookstores in the Northern Hemisphere, so that’s pretty unique already… but we also have a full-service hair salon within our store!
If you had infinite space, what might you add to the store?
I’ve always wanted a balcony or open second story and sliding ladders that would go up to the ceiling (probably really good for our insurance premiums).
How do you feel your bookstore fits into your local community?
We love being a niche bookstore in a community that doesn’t have that many bookstores because we get lots of people coming in that wouldn’t describe themselves as romance readers and then we convert them!
What does your store offer that a chain or online retailer can’t?
A staff of people that knows so much about romance novels and is able to tailor recommendations to your specific taste, and then remembers that taste the next time you come in!
image via @therippedbodice Instagram
Do you hand-pick your staff to create a specific environment?
We ask potential booksellers to choose romance novels that they would recommend to potential customers in certain categories, such as a fantasy romance with a strong female lead. When we do interviews, we are really looking for people that have a passion for books and romance. We teach them everything else they need to know but you can’t teach passion!
image via @therippedbodice Instagram
How else do you create a welcoming environment?
Our decor is really important to us and we spend a lot of time on it. We want the space to feel incredibly inviting and welcoming and uniquely female. Not a lot of public spaces are designed with femininity in mind but we are not afraid of pink. Also hugely important to this question is having a public restroom with free sanitary products available. How are people supposed to stay and browse if they can’t go to the bathroom!?
image via @therippedbodice Instagram
What about your store do you think appeals to your neighborhood?
We have become quite well known for our elaborate window displays that celebrate big holidays, seasonal themes, or different book genres. I also post the process of creating them on our Instagram stories as well.
Do you have any staff picks or releases we should watch out for?
In the coming month, I am tremendously excited about the release of Beach Read by Emily Henry and Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner… two fantastic new books that I think a lot of people will enjoy.
image via @therippedbodice Instagram
Do you tailor your inventory according to your community?
Absolutely. When we opened, we had children’s books and Young Adult books but the kids who fell in the middle of those two groups were asking where their section was, so now we have a middle-grade section! We’ve also expanded our poetry section due to community demand.
Is there anything else that you’d like our audience to know?
If you’ve never read a romance novel, it is never too late!
featured image via the ripped bodice
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