Owners Deb Covey and Josee Coyle, both of Springboro, share the philosophy that a bookstore should be an inviting, inclusive gathering place for people of all ages.
Credit: Jen Balduf
Credit: Jen Balduf
The bookstore plans to host book clubs, young adult events, singles events, book signings, writing workshops and crafts and other activities in addition to private events such as baby showers and children’s birthday parties.
On the shelves are books for young children, young adults, adult fiction, including mystery, romance and thriller, as well as biographies, business, self improvement and more. Gift items include apparel and totes featuring the store logo or dog mascot Booker.
Credit: Jen Balduf
Credit: Jen Balduf
Each book was hand-selected by Covey, who retired in June as an elementary teacher in Springboro Schools and previously worked as a buyer for bookstores, including the former Books & Co. in Kettering.
“This is a very curated collection, and it’s because of her love and passion for all of the literary genres,” Coyle said.
Customers can order any book not on the shelves, and can order through their website, bluedogbooks.com, to have books shipped directly to their homes.
A grand opening celebration is from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 21, featuring complimentary little bites and a few surprises.
So far owners Covey and Coyle have had their own surprise involving the popularity of cookbooks.
“I thought everyone would get the recipes online,” Covey said. “That’s not true. They want cookbooks. They come in, they look at the cookbooks, and they buy them.”
Credit: Jen Balduf
Credit: Jen Balduf
Both owners have always loved books, and when Covey told her family she wanted to open a bookstore, they wanted her to get a partner. A friend told her about a former student, Coyle, who always wanted to have a bookstore.
The pair met at Lovely’s Farm Market in Springboro, found they had a lot of similar ideas and hatched their plan.
Their space in the heart of the city is the former site of Magnolias on Main boutique and before that the Brass Pig Tea Room. Built in 1837, it was Springboro’s first mercantile. With Springboro one of Ohio’s busiest stops on the Underground Railroad, the building also was connected to a tunnel that reportedly went back to the town founder’s house.
Credit: Jen Balduf
Credit: Jen Balduf
The owners said they love the building’s background and plan to work with the historical society on a local history section at the store.
They chose the color blue because Springboro is long associated with the color blue and it’s a calming color, Covey said. Also, Coyle said the color blue can be light and happy or stormy and sad, so that its versatility allows it be many different things at once.
“I think that also really ties itself to the store because we are a space for everyone,” she said.
A lot of bookstores have animals in their names, and dogs make good reading buddies, Covey said.
First though, Covey said she had to reach out to the family of George Rodrigue, a southwest Louisiana artist known for his series “The Blue Dog,” to get permission to use the name.
“The family was very kind … they said ‘if you want to (use the name) that’s fine, that’s great because we don’t have a bookstore. We have coffee shops and we have diners and everything else,’“ Covey said.
Store hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The bookstore also is open during Springboro festivals.
Other upcoming events this month:
- Coffee 101 and tasting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 14 with ContempoRoas Coffee and Roastery. A limited number of $10 tickets are available.
- Author signing with Katrina Kittle from 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 25. Kittle will be signing copies of her latest novel, “Morning in This Broken World.”
For more information, visit bluedogbooks.com or call 513-320-4141.
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