The Book Lounge will be opening June 15 at 631 Central Ave. in downtown St. Petersburg, Fla. St. Pete Rising reported that the new business, owned by mother/daughter team Natalya Calleja and Pamela Calleja, is a "cozy" 1,600-square-foot space that will carry around 4,000 books, "specializing in romance, fantasy, mystery/thriller, and general fiction. There will also be a small section for LGBTQ+ romance books."
Pamela Calleja, who is preparing to start business school at the University of South Florida St. Pete, launched Pages and Roses, a blind date book business "with a twist," last year. "Instead of just wrapping a book in brown paper and jotting down a few clues, customers choose a genre and spice level, and Pamela directs them towards pre-curated bundles filled with tons of extras--think lip masks, bookmarks, tea, lollipops, stickers, and more. These bookish surprises struck a chord with readers and helped inspire the concept for The Book Lounge," St. Pete Rising noted.
"She's been so successful, I thought, you know what? Let's do this. It's a huge trend, and it was only focused on fiction--so we'll be bringing it to The Book Lounge," said Natalya Calleja, who described the shop's vibe as cozy and eclectic, with mismatched furniture and a welcoming feel. "We want this shop to feel like you're walking into your grandmother's living room--with a warm and cute vibe."