Susan Murphy had searched for over a year for a commercial property in Northwest Detroit. She had had a successful pop-up month on Livernois and was ready to find a permanent home for her Pages Bookshop. After a year of looking and finding nothing workable, Susan finally talked to Tom Goddeeris, GRDC’s Executive Director. Tom showed Susan the recently renovated property at 19560 Grand River and Susan knew she had found the perfect place for her bookstore. “I feel very fortunate to get a GRDC building,” Susan says. “It’s a sound, beautifully renovated building and Tom really knows the building. He answered every question I had.” After she signed the lease in January, Susan was at first numb. It had taken her so long to find a building she couldn’t quite believe that her search was finally over. And then she started to get really excited about her bookstore.
The Pages Bookshop has spent several months occupying a corner in Amanda Brewington’s Always Brewing Detroit coffee shop. “I am very grateful to Amanda for letting me hang out at her coffee shop. I got to know the community, which will help me carry the titles people want to read. I have found this community to be supportive and tight-knit – and there are a lot of readers here.” You could say she found the perfect spot.
Pages Bookshop will open in April and it will specialize in fiction for readers of all ages. In her new space, Susan plans to expand her selection to include thrillers, science fiction and fantasy. Susan has also always carried memoirs, biographies and Detroit based books. Susan also is looking forward to having the space to host community events, author signings and talks, and even just a place for customers to sit and read. Book Clubs are of particular interest to Susan. Not only would she love to hear what your book club is reading, she’d love to carry a book on your reading list for a 15% discount to book club members. The Pages Bookshop website at pagesbkshop.com provides an opportunity for readers to hear others’ reviews of books and to submit their own reviews. If Susan carries a particular book in her store, you can provide a review that customers in the store can read as they shop for what to read next. Susan is open to any and all ideas of what books to carry. Whatever your interests, whether you’re 5 or 95, Susan wants to hear what books you find interesting.