Tacoma book lovers are getting another place to browse in person this fall — and this one is built almost entirely around romance.
Bewitched Romance will open its first permanent physical location on Sept. 26 at the Waterfront Market at Ruston, expanding a business that until now has primarily operated online and through local markets and pop-ups.
The new shop will be tucked toward the back of the indoor market near Seattle Nuts, according to the bookstore.
For customers already familiar with Bewitched Romance from its online store or market appearances, the new location will bring those offerings together under one roof: romance novels, special editions, bookish merchandise and one of the business’s signature products — “Blind Dates with a Book.”
Yes, there are blind dates involved
Fortunately, these are considerably less awkward than the human variety.
Bewitched Romance specializes in hand-wrapped mystery books selected around a reader’s interests. Customers can provide preferences such as genres, themes and even the level of romantic “spice” they’re comfortable with, then receive a book without knowing exactly what title they’re getting beforehand.
The packages can also include book-themed gifts and accessories.
The idea has been a central part of Bewitched Romance’s online business, and the new store will give customers a chance to experience it in person alongside the shop’s regular selection of romance books and merchandise.
From markets to a permanent home
Bewitched Romance has already been part of Tacoma’s book and maker scene through pop-ups and local events.
Earlier this summer, for example, the business appeared alongside independent authors and bookish vendors at a community market at the Foss Waterway Seaport.
But Sept. 26 marks a significant next step: its own permanent retail space.
The bookstore describes the move as an opportunity to expand what customers have been finding online and at markets into a physical location where readers can browse regularly.
The Waterfront Market at Ruston provides a natural setting for that kind of small retail business. The year-round indoor marketplace houses a rotating mix of artisans, specialty vendors, food businesses and small shops along Tacoma’s waterfront and is generally open seven days a week. Individual vendor hours can vary.
Opening weekend comes with extras
Bewitched Romance plans to turn its arrival into a two-day celebration on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26–27.
Opening weekend is expected to include author signings, raffles and giveaways, along with goodie bags for the first 50 people in line each day.
Beyond conventional romance titles, the store says shoppers can expect special-edition books, its Blind Date packages and a range of book-related merchandise.
That gives the shop a slightly different feel from a traditional bookstore. The emphasis is not simply on buying a novel and heading home, but on making browsing and discovering the next book part of the experience.
Another small business joins the waterfront
The opening also adds another locally focused retailer to the Waterfront Market, which positions itself as an incubator and home for independent businesses, makers and food vendors.
For Bewitched Romance, it represents the transition from a business shoppers might encounter at a weekend market or online into one they can seek out whenever they visit the waterfront.
And for romance readers who like an element of surprise, there's now the possibility of walking into a Tacoma bookstore and leaving with a blind date tucked under your arm.
Bewitched Romance opens Sept. 26 at the Waterfront Market at Ruston.
To visit Bewitched Romance’s website, click here.
There’s more in today’s Tacoma Local Minute.
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