Bmore Romantic, a romance-focused bookstore in Federal Hill, had its soft launch recently at 1205 Light St. in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, Md. Owner Augusta Christensen told the Baltimore Business Journal that the 2,000-square-foot shop will hold a grand opening celebration on Saturday, October 17.
The bookstore offers a wide range of romance books, from contemporary and historical to fantasy and paranormal love stories. "Playing with that theme, the facade above the door is painted pink, and the interior walls and furniture are various shades of pink and purple. Shelves filled with books and merchandise line the left wall, while the front right portion offers seating. Complimentary drinks are available in a pink mini refrigerator," the Business Journal wrote.
Bmore Romantic also has an event room with locally focused décor, including a large mural of a Baltimore park bench with a copy of First-Time Caller by local romance author B.K. Borison. The shop's exposed brick has a subtle amount of glitter that Christensen added and a pillar she turned into a bookshelf tree.
"I feel like reading has had a huge resurgence," said Christensen of her decision to open the bookshop, adding that she had always been an avid reader. Although she works in politics, for many years she had thought of owning a bookstore, especially in retirement. That timeline accelerated when she noticed the Light Street storefront was available and reasonably priced for its location along a main thoroughfare and not far from the busy Cross Street area.
Christensen chose to focus on the romance genre because of its diverse, inclusive range of books and the supportive community around it. Bmore Romantic has been in the works since July. Christensen self-funded the project and had help from her husband in building out the space. The response has been fantastic, she said. "It's been a dream so far."