Fantasy bookstore Love & Legends Books opened its doors to Brooklyn readers in November, welcoming a line of customers that wrapped around the block on opening day.
Owned by married duo Savanna Sturkie and Jack Peeples, this pop-up-turned-storefront, at 667 Washington Ave., is New York City’s first-ever fantasy-focused bookstore, catering to lovers of fantasy, romance, sci-fi and even tabletop role-playing games.
“We hope to be a third space for Brooklynites to enjoy fantasy, to enjoy sci-fi, to explore new worlds and enjoy events all around,” Sturkie said.
The grand opening on Nov. 22 was a rousing success, the owners said, complete with book signings, raffles and a line of customers that ran down the block hours before the store opened at 10:00am.
“There were people lined up before we got there at eight in the morning,” Sturkie said. “That was just mind-blowing.”
Sierra Mainard, a 26-year-old Crown Heights resident, was one of the customers who came out on opening day to support the bookstore. She decided to check it out with her friends after seeing a post on Love & Legend’s Instagram.
“I’m a big fantasy reader,” Mainard said. “I’ve only more recently gotten into romance as its own genre but it’s always fun, and I also really like sci-fi.”
On top of fantasy, romance and sci-fi titles, the bookstore also boasts a robust children’s and young adult section.
“There’s a lot of kids in our neighborhood so I’m very, very excited about our children’s section and programming,” Sturkie said. “I would love to see it as a place where kids want to stop by on their way home from school.”
According to Sturkie, Love & Legends sold out one-third of its inventory within the first two days but has since been restocked.
“The opening was just so heartwarming and the response from the community was overwhelming,” Peeples said. “We’re really excited to open up this place and be a community space for everybody in town.”
Love & Legends is the latest genre-focused bookstore to open in the city with romance bookstore The Ripped Bodice and horror bookstore The Twisted Spine opening in the past couple of years.
The couple, both fans of fantasy, sci-fi and romance, first launched the store as a pop-up earlier this spring.
“We did not actually have the intention of opening a brick and mortar anytime soon, simply because of the financial behemoth that it is to open a business,” Sturkie said.
Their first pop-up was held in the Upper West Side, and continued all over Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
Calling it a “labor of love,” Sturkie said the endeavor allowed them to establish an initial customer base which they expanded by hosting fantasy and romance-themed book clubs while running the pop-ups.
When they found the Prospect Heights location that would eventually become their brick and mortar storefront, the couple launched a Kickstarter to raise funds, which netted over $58,000.
Now that the store is up and running, Sturkie hopes to relaunch their fantasy and romance-themed book clubs, author readings and table-top role-playing game events.
