Lovebound Library bookstore opens, providing romance-focused space for booklovers

SALT LAKE CITY — Those looking for a little romance this Valentine’s Day can find it from a niche bookstore in Salt Lake City’s Maven District. The owner of Lovebound Library said its grand opening this weekend was a huge success. 

Owner Courtney Stookey said romance-focused bookstores have done well in other U.S. cities, so she wanted to create that same kind of magic in Utah.

“I’ve been seeing all of these other stores around the country and just kind of seeing the excitement from readers to have this space. And honestly, I just wanted one, being a romance reader in Utah,” she said.

Based on the success of the store’s opening weekend, it seems that Stookey wasn’t the only one feeling that way.

Stookey said the response to Lovebound Library has been surprising and “absolutely incredible.”

“We had, probably for the first three hours of the day, you really couldn’t move in the store.”

Lovebound Library joins SLC’s other bookshops in providing a unique environment

Despite the ease of online purchasing and e-reading, Stookey said Salt Lake has shown that brick-and-mortar bookstores can thrive. She pointed to the success of Under the Umbrella and the King’s English, saying the demand for in-person shopping is there.

“I do feel like there’s so much that readers are looking for, to come in and actually… have a conversation about books here [and] what others are reading,” Stookey said.

Adding to the environment of sharing and connection, Stookey said the store makes a special effort to support women. Of course, it is open to everyone.

Stookey said that about 90% of her products come from other women- or queer-owned small businesses and authors. That effort is reflected in its location within the Maven District, which Stookey said is centered on women-owned businesses.

The store is located at 145 East, 900 South in Salt Lake City. Find more information on Lovebound Library’s Instagram page.

Related:

• Ballet West’s ‘Swan Lake’ prepares to take the stage
• Utah Cultural Celebration Center gallery name to honor Spanish artist Pilar Pobil