Plumfield Books, Ada, Mich., launched a sister store, Orchard House Books and Cafe, last Saturday, June 29, at 1042 Michigan St. NE in Grand Rapids. Owner Amy Squires told MLive that the new location had started construction in April, adding: "Everything just fell into place. We're moving very fast--building inspections are already tomorrow. We're scrapping this soft-opening thing and just going for it."
She launched Plumfield Books in 2022, offering a wide range of book genres, free wine tastings, author visits, and book clubs. Orchard House will have a similar feel, but with more classics, poetry, and local business collaborations.
"We've lived in Heritage Hill for 10 years and loved the youthfulness of it and always loved the corner where Martha's Vineyard is. It just felt like a thriving location. It felt right," Squires said. "Our regulars and connections are all so excited. I want to be there as a community space like I am for Ada."
Earlier this month Squires told Crain's Grand Rapids Business she had been considering a second location in the city for a while and saw a need for a bookshop in the Midtown neighborhood: "With the hospitals (growing) and young professionals that are living there right now, it's just a prime location."
The store includes a coffee bar and 900-square-foot covered porch with seating. The building has been updated with new paint, drywall, and a new electrical system. Orchard House plans to use a greenhouse area attached to the building as a year-round indoor/outdoor covered seating area for cafe patrons looking to relax with a book, Crain's Grand Rapids Business noted. Local artist and muralist Paige Rochefort created a wrap-around mural for the bookstore's exterior.
Citing the surge in new bookstores across the U.S., she observed that being in a bookstore is "more than just picking out a book. You almost start a mini book club with every person that comes in the store. They come in for one book and end up leaving 45 minutes later after a long conversation."