RICHMOND, Va. — A new bookstore has opened in Richmond's Brookland Park, adding to efforts to rejuvenate the Northside neighborhood.
Mariela Gavino, a 27-year-old entrepreneur, has spent the last six months launching I Love You So Much Books, a new and used bookstore designed to connect the community.
Gavino’s journey to becoming a business owner has been unique. She faced a decision between choosing a stable career or following her passion for books.
“I could either go into a career for a really long time and, you know, life is comfortable, but I'm not exactly passionate about it. Or I could go the complete opposite and try something really scary and exciting,” she explained.
Ultimately, she decided to pursue her dream of opening a bookstore.
“It’s been a dream to open a bookstore since I was a kid,” she said. “I just thought about doing book pop-ups. There wasn't really a person or people doing that around here before, so I thought I would try fitting into that niche.”
Located in the culturally rich Brookland Park neighborhood, her bookstore is part of a growing business corridor.
Gavino recognizes the changes taking place in the area.
“I’m definitely part of a big wave that’s coming through, and it’s really exciting. But I also really hope that we can listen to what people here want and need,” Gavino said.
Gavino has created her store to be more than just a place to shop; she wants it to foster community connections. She plans to host poetry nights and other events.
“I wanted to introduce a place where people could stay and also experience other shops in the neighborhood that they may not have thought about visiting if they were just passing by,” she added.
As she begins this new chapter in her life, Gavino hopes the community embraces her bookstore.
“I hope they take away a sense of peace, but also a sense of community," she said. "I hope they discover something new that they might not find at another big box store.”
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