The Velvet Bookmark, with a mission "to create a safe, welcoming space where people can gather, read, and connect," opened last month at 50A Main St. in Tonawanda, N.Y. Step Out Buffalo reported that for co-owners and lifelong friends Lindsay Amico, Jessica Amico, and Lauren Gately, "this is not just a BookTok rec, it's their reality."
"We've loved reading for as long as we can remember," Lindsay Amico said. "Our vision is to build a space where people feel at home--where they can slow down, explore stories, and feel part of a community."
The bookstore's website notes that they "found the perfect little space in the small city we grew up in--it's like the plot of a cozy novel!... If BookTok is your thing, you’re in luck. We are hoping to stock our store with the latest and greatest books from your favorite authors. Everything from fantasy to romance to queer enemies to lovers."