(Photo by Megan Kantor)
At The Ripped Bodice, romance fills the shelves
The popular Los Angeles romance-themed bookstore has opened its first New York outpost to long lines
Lovers of all things literary and romantic now have an official headquarters in Park Slope. The specialized queer- and women-owned romance bookstore The Ripped Bodice opened its first New York outpost this weekend — and was met with crowds of enthusiastic readers who turned up to fill their bespoke tote bags with goodies and to get books signed by authors of the wildly popular genre.
Starting before 10 a.m. Saturday, a line to shop ran down Fifth Avenue and around the corner halfway down President Street. Some patrons read books in line while others chatted excitedly about their favorite sub genres with old and newly made friends.
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College student and Park Slope resident Jude Gotschall brought her mom and said she noticed a sign in the window earlier this season while back home on summer break, and said she’s been “following along on Instagram.”
Leah, left, and Bea Koch (Photo by Megan Kantor)
Sisters Leah and Bea Koch opened the flagship Ripped Bodice shop in Los Angeles in 2016 to instant viral acclaim, earning accolades for their vast selection of books and gifts, romance-driven programming, and unique window displays.
The Park Slope location was announced June 15 on social media, a major driver for the sisters. Leah, in particular, documented the Park Slope store’s painstaking renovation on TikTok in the run-up to the opening. Fans followed the shop’s progress videos, applauding the hand-stenciled pink heart floors, open-book wall collages, heart shaped lighting fixtures and Leah’s general craftiness.
Leah said the sisters zeroed in on Park Slope after wanting to open a shop in New York City and strolling through the neighborhood where their father lives. They love the neighborhood’s independent vibe, they said, and noted that quite a few romance authors reside in the borough.
“Romance is about hope and joy and love and, above all, community, and I am thrilled we have a new community center here in Park Slope,” said best-selling historical romance author Sarah MacLean.
Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” serenaded customers who pored over shelves packed with colorful spines organized by sub-genre on Saturday. The Ripped Bodice boasts a massive LGBTQ+ section as well as shelves full of contemporary, historical and paranormal romances, erotica, books set in New York and staff picks. Their “Blind Date With A Book” shelf features wrapped books with a brief description printed on the wrapper encouraging readers to take the plunge and engage with a book without seeing the cover. Customers can also purchase stickers, greeting cards, totes, t-shirts and gifts for the romance readers in their lives.
(Photo by Megan Kantor)
To be sure, the term “bodice ripper” is not without its detractors; some fans of the genre consider it derogatory. But Bea, whose graduate thesis was titled “Mending the Ripped Bodice,” said the store’s name reclaims the epithet. Her sister Leah admits she got some nasty emails from nay-sayers who viewed the original shop as anti-feminist. Laughing, she said, “I’ll never forget the names of those people, but I’ve moved past it.”
Another common complaint is that mainstream bookstores have ghettoized the category, making their romance sections feel more like an afterthought. Browsers might find a couple shelves off to the side, with incomplete series, which can be galling to fans.
“They have everything here,” gushed Crown Heights resident Emily at the opening event. “You can find book eight of a series if that’s what you’re looking for.”
One customer, balancing a teetering tower of books in her arms, announced at the register, “Okay … I think I’ve finally made decisions.”
Customers Evan and Liz traveled from Queens having heard from a friend in L.A. that the was expanding. They are such fans of the genre — especially LGBTQ+ and paranormal romance — that they say they’ve fantasized about opening their own shop. They still might, but at least now they don’t have to.
The romance genre, often derided as non-serious literature, makes up more than one-third of fiction sales in the U.S., generating roughly $1.4 billion annually. Young readers are no longer shy to admit they enjoy books about meet-cutes, shape-shifting paramours and whirl-wind affairs with royalty, thanks in part to social media trends that celebrate the genre and recommend new reads to hungry devotees. The Koch sisters tapped into that rapidly growing market seven years ago, and the turnout for Saturday’s grand opening is only further evidence that this is anything but a passing trend.
“It’s 2023, and we deserve books where we can see ourselves thrive,” added MacLean. “I’m excited for a brick and mortar bookstore that exclusively celebrates the journey to our best selves, and I hope it brings much joy to Brooklyn.”
(Photo by Erin Felgar)
The Ripped Bodice is located at 218 Fifth Avenue. Store hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. (347) 227-8899
