Fern & Fable Books, a new and used bookstore with an all-ages inventory, has opened in Ormond Beach, Fla., the Observer reported.
Located at 600 S. Yonge St., Suite 7B, the store welcomed customers for the first time last week. Owner Rayna Dunlop carries books in a wide variety of genres along with an assortment of house plants. Her event plans include storytime sessions, book club meetings, sales for local students, and more.
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| Rayna Dunlop | |
The store has an emphasis on accessibility and literacy, with books available at many price points, and Dunlop prominently features banned and challenged books. This fall Fern & Fable will partner with educational nonprofit the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia to raise money for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library; Dunlop also intends to support local schools and PTA groups and to donate books to children in the area.
A lifelong reader, Dunlop told the Observer that she decided to open a bookstore of her own last fall. Initially she considered opening a mobile bookstore, but then found the "perfect little spot."
The recent surge of book bans in Florida and around the country also underscored the need to have books that were accessible to all budgets and to advocate for reading and literacy. She added: "that's a big piece of our heart and why we're here."
Dunlop has a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Thursday, August 31, with the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce.