Between the Sips Romance Bookstore and Tea Room has opened at 481 W Highway 105 G in Monument, Colo. The Denver Gazette reported that owner Sheena LaBadie credits her second daughter, who has epilepsy, as the inspiration for the bookstore-tearoom concept.
"I wanted somewhere that I could keep a watch on her as she entered the workforce. And she's a big reader and writer," LaBadie said. "She and I go to high tea for her birthday every year, which is where the idea to create a tearoom within a romance bookstore began.... Everyone does coffee and books, but no one thinks about tea and books for those who don't like coffee. I wanted something unique and creative that we can have fun with as we grow."
The concept seems to be working, according to LaBadie, who noted: "A couple of ladies dropped in when we first opened for business. One of them looked around and said, 'Finally, something fun has opened in Monument.' "
Between the Sips is located in a strip mall, where "lacy curtains frame the windows, while the front of the store is devoted to shelves of Harlequin-style romance novels. The tearoom is to the left of the entrance, divided by a screen," the Gazette wrote.