Ink & Intimacy, a romance-focused bookstore with an emphasis on sexual education and wellness, opened October 10 in Louisville, Ky., the Louisville Courier Journal reported.
Located at 1122 S. Shelby St. in Louisville's Shelby Park neighborhood, the women- and queer-owned bookstore carries a wide array of romance sub-genres along with nonfiction books about sexual health and wellness. Alongside books, co-owners Madeline Gregg and Sarah Lockhart also stock a selection of adult toys and related items.
The store features an upstairs space that is divided in half between a lounge and a dedicated events space. Plans for events include classes on sexual wellness and book clubs, and customers will be able to rent out the space for private events. There is also a boudoir room that can be booked for photo shoots.
"In Shelby Park, the Highlands, Germantown, there's a huge queer community, and we need more spaces like this," Gregg told the Courier Journal. "We need queer third spaces. We need more education."
In addition to being bookstore owners, Gregg is a sexologist and TikTok influencer, while Lockhart is an attorney. So far, they said, the store has been received extremely well, enough for them to think of a possible expansion next year.
"I'm most excited for more shelf space because romance is such a broad and beautiful genre," Lockhart said. "Eventually, fingers crossed, next year... there's going to be even more space."