Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah and Peter Reynolds.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Peter shares that about 15 years ago, he was shocked when he realized his town had no bookstore. Around that time, he went into the old tailor’s shop located across from the police station to have a jacket fixed up – the tailor said, “OK, but make sure you’re back here by Wednesday. If you’re here on Thursday you don’t get your suit.”
When Peter asked why, the tailor said, “Because I’m retiring.”
Peter turned to leave and immediately began to envision his future storefront, “I could see bookshelves, picture books, puppets, art supplies, and I walked out of the shop and looked back and I could see ‘Bookshop’ in gold letters.”
Things went quickly after that – Peter and his twin brother Paul dreamt up the space, and Janet, Paul’s wife, then went on to manage the shop for more than 10 years – including overseeing the move one block over into the shop’s current location at 577 High Street, right across the street from the Dedham Community Theatre.
About two years ago, Mocha Java, a beloved coffee shop for more than 20 years, located on the corner in Dedham Square, was going through some late growing pains. Peter ended up buying the business from its longtime owner, Steve Carlson after Steve moved out west.
The pairing of coffee and books proved to be the perfect marriage. The shop underwent renovations in August 2017 to create space for the cafe and lots of cozy spaces to peruse books (including a couch and comfy chairs!), nooks for the classic cafe tables where work can be done and friends and families can sit and enjoy each other’s company. Tables and umbrellas outside are well loved during finer weather, and our old mascots, the sheep and the giant Blue Bunny, greet each visitor.
The shop is now packed with books, toys, games, cards, and gifts – and of course coffee and pastries, and we continue to host many special events for authors and book releases, a weekly Storytime for little ones, and even the occasional trivia night or musical performance.
We are so proud of our independent family owned store, and we are so grateful to our community’s support!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
All things considered, the road has been fairly smooth! It’s always a challenge taking on a new venture, but our community has been so incredibly supportive throughout all of our transitions. Even with the competition from brick and mortar Amazon and online shopping, our loyal fans have come out in droves to show us that they value our carefully curated collection of books, toys, and games!
Please tell us about The Blue Bunny Bookstore & Cafe.
We are incredibly proud of all the many ways we have been a part of our local community throughout the years. We were nominated this year for the prestigious Pannell Award, and in putting together our nomination packet it was a treat to look back through the years at all the photos and press releases for events – supporting so many authors and community causes. We value our community and they value us – that’s what has helped us thrive over the last 15 years.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Sarah: one of my favorite very young memories is being read to before bed by my mother or father – I would always bargain for another book or another chapter, luckily they would almost always comply! Later, I remember getting one of the Harry Potter releases at the Blue Bunny midnight release party and bringing it to the cape on our family vacation. I spent the entire week devouring the book, reading on the beach is still one of my all-time favorite activities!
One of Peter’s favorite memories from childhood is the moment when he finished the Phantom Tollbooth and realized he was “allowed” to re-read the book right away – that’s when the joy of reading was unlocked for him.
Contact Info:
- Address: 577 High Street Dedham, MA 02026
- Website: www.bluebunnybooks.com
- Phone: 781-493-6568
- Email: sarah@bluebunnybooks.com
- Instagram: @bluebunnybookstoyscafe
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlueBunnyBooks/
- Twitter: @bluebunnybooks
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-blue-bunny-dedham
Image Credit:
Andrew Hobbs
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