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| Opening day crowd at Leaves & Lore | |
Leaves & Lore, a fantasy-focused bookstore, opened in West Chester, Pa., on Saturday, August 22, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The bookstore, which resides at 118 N. High St., carries new titles for all ages, and though there is a strong emphasis on fantasy and romantasy, there are sections devoted to horror, mysteries and thrillers, romance, and other genres. Alongside books, customers can find candles, stickers, apparel, and bookmarks; coffee and sweet treats are also available.
Leaves & Lore's interior is designed to make customers feel like they've stepped into a fantasy novel, and the space can be rented for private events. Some of the store's future event plans include launch parties and signings with local authors.
Owners and father-daughter team Jeffrey and Jessie Hilker told the Philadelphia Inquirer they were blown away by the store's opening day. Some 1,500 people stopped by, said Jeffrey Hilker, and the store made 600 transactions. In fact, added Jessie Hilker, they had to close early the next day because they simply ran out of books.
"I'm a pretty optimistic person, and I thought we would do well," Jeffrey Hilker remarked. "I just didn't think it would be like this."
Jessie Hilker, a lifelong reader, described the store as a "passion project," noting that she and her father spent two years waiting for the perfect space to open up in West Chester, and they went on a bookshop tour of the U.K. to find inspiration.
"I wanted to open a bookstore because I enjoy reading," Jessie Hilker said. "So to see so many other people enjoy it, as much as I do, makes it very special."