Bluestocking Bookshop, owned by Aimee Chipman, will officially open in Holland Town Center on Saturday, promising to provide a welcoming space for the community.
Chipman, who opened the bookstore at its original location on Butternut Dr. in 2019, said, "I started the bookshop with $500 and about 100 boxes of donated books. We had handmade, cobbled together shelves."
Since then, the store has expanded to become the largest used bookstore in Holland, doubling its space in response to community needs.
"The community has shown up and shown me what it needs," Chipman said. "It needs a space to gather. They need spaces where they can create and become and feel welcome."
Growing up in Holland, Chipman has fond memories of spending time in similar community spaces after school.
"Somewhere that a teenager can bike their way down here and have somewhere safe to sit. Somewhere that they can do their homework or hang out and read or spend time with friends," said Chipman. "Those are the spaces that I remember having that I feel like might be lacking in Holland."
The bookstore aims to be a safe environment for all, including kids, individuals in the LGBTQ+ community, and Holland residents like Enjolie-Rose Trin.
She expressed her appreciation for the space, saying, "This is a place you can go to after a hard day at work or after that weekend interacting with that stressful relative. Knowing there's people there who are willing to listen and are accepting and won't judge."
The Bluestocking Bookshop also supports independent creators by providing them a platform to share their work.
"We have a custom make and take fragrance bar where you can come in and make your own candles, soaps, lotions," Chipman added. "We do all sorts of amazing fun stuff with that. The Art as a Lifestyle is owned by a local artist who also plans to bring back paint classes and canvas classes and workshops and things like that."
Trin noted, "There's ways that Aimee supports independent creators by giving them a space in the store and allows other people to express themselves. I have bought many stickers, and it's those small things, right? Finding joy where we can, we can find it and in a space that we can just be and breathe."
As the bookstore prepares for its grand opening on Saturday, Chipman has planned a series of events.
"10 a.m. we open, and the first day, we're going to have entries for giveaways. It's pretty much just the welcome in. See what's changed, see what's new, see what's staying," Chipman explained.
On Saturday evening, the bookstore will host "Bluestocking after Dark," a celebration of romance literature.
"My assistant manager and I are both romance nerds, and we have our romance book club and so we are leaning in, and we will have a vendor market," said Chipman. "VIP tickets are sold out, unfortunately, but there are still free tickets because it will be an 18 and up event."
Sunday will be a kids day from 2 to 6 p.m.
"We're going to have kids activities. Wimee the robot from PBS Kids is going to be here at 3 p.m. to do a show," she said. "We have a "Chalking Our Next Chapter" art contest happening on the sidewalk in front of the shop. "
Chipman expressed gratitude for the support from the Holland community.
"None of the things people see this weekend will have been possible without the support of this community, without the support of obviously, my husband, who's been amazing, without the support of my staff, and without the support of this community," Chipman explained. "They stepped up and showed their talents, and they are amazing."
The Cardboard Mecca, a new card store, will also have its grand opening at the Holland Town Center on Saturday. There will be food trucks available and another business at the town center, The Stave and Barrel, will be hosting a tasting event with Coppercraft Distillery that same day.
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