Katherine Morgan is looking to open a store that centers her love of romance books.
According to Portland Monthly, Morgan currently runs online bookstore Grand Gesture Books on Bookshop.org. Additionally, since 2017, she has been a bookseller at Powell’s Books, “the world’s largest independent bookstore, based in Portland, Oregon,” its website mentions.
Morgan has a particular liking for romance books, which is emphasized through her selections on Bookshop.org, with titles such as “While We Were Dating,” “Party of Two,” “The Wedding Crasher,” and “The Happy Ever After Playlist,” and more.
“Here at GGB, I (“I” being Katherine, the owner…) believe that there’s a happy ending for everyone, and I will work my hardest to help you find a book to love. Whether you’re a seasoned romance lover or someone who is about to start their first foray into the genre, welcome,” reads a greeting message on the Grand Gesture Books website.
While interested readers are welcome to visit the website, Morgan says she hopes that Grand Gesture Books will expand its footprint before Bookstore Romance Day in August 2024. She is looking to open a brick-and-mortar, which she believes is necessary because there is not another romance bookstore in the city.
“I kind of mulled it over and then I couldn’t let it go,” she told the outlet.
Morgan is still on the hunt for an ideal location for the store, but she looks forward to the promising changes that will be brought to local readers. She plans to host in-person author events and establish a hub that will energize readers at Grand Gesture Books.
“If they want to read a mafia romance or a book about aliens dating, that’s great!” she expressed to Axios. “Wherever they find that joy, I’m not going to have anyone try to stifle it.”