Before the Big Day: Our Soft Opening
Before Word on the Street Books officially opened its doors, we held a soft opening: part celebration, part dress rehearsal. It was our chance to test everything before the public arrived, and a way to thank the people who helped get us here.
Getting this store open has taken a lot of hard work, and very little of it was ours alone. Family and friends gave their evenings, weekends, and muscle to the buildout, and the soft opening felt like the moment it all came together. It was truly all hands on deck. Linda’s sister Kristen even flew in to help, and we couldn’t have pulled it off without her.
Of course, no celebration is complete without good food and drink. Our good friends at Beyond the Table Cooking, led by Amanda, put out a delicious spread that kept everyone happy and well fed. Alex from Omega Road poured a selection of their wonderful wines, alongside sparkling wines from our friend Steve at 3 Steves Winery. We’re lucky to be surrounded by such talented local makers, and even luckier to call them friends.
The night also had a practical purpose. Our friends and family graciously served as guinea pigs, browsing the shelves and making real purchases so we could put our point of sale and in-store processes through their paces. We found a few kinks, worked them out, and feel comfortable opening day on August 22.
To everyone who came, helped, cooked, poured, shopped, and cheered us on: thank you. This bookstore exists because of you.
Scenes from the event
