At The Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn, you’ll find rows upon rows of books, just like any other bookstore, but this shop is dedicated entirely to one genre: romance.
The shop opened in Park Slope in August and has been drawing in massive crowds since.
“It’s just such a welcoming, friendly bookstore. Everybody who works here is so knowledgeable about their recommendations and so passionate,” said shopper Marissa Murillo.
Owned and operated by sisters Leah and Bea Koch, the Brooklyn storefront is actually their second location after originally opening in Los Angeles.
The sisters were the first in the country to come up with the concept and Leah said their knowledge and love for romance is what sets them apart from the competition.
“I think having a really specific niche is what allows our business to thrive because people know they’re getting expertise,” she said.
It also helps that romance novels are more popular than ever, with sales in the genre growing by 52% in the last year – the highest in the fiction category. The number far outshines that of fantasy, which rose 17%, as well as non-fiction and mystery, which both saw significant declines.
The spike in romance sales is partly thanks to the rise of “BookTok” – a community of users on TikTok who are passionate about literature and has revolutionized the way readers discover new books.
“Being on TikTok and seeing people talk about the books they read and the places they go to shop for books gets me a little bit more excited about popping into bookstores and picking up a book again,” said Murillo.
Leah said they have seen a rise in shoppers and interests thanks to the TikTok community, as well.
“It really does translate to in-person sales and online as well but we get people coming in all the time saying we saw your store on BookTok, she said.
“I found it on TikTok and I was like, ‘I need to go there,” said Natalia Mos, a Staten Islander who discovered The Ripped Bodice on the social media platform. Her friend, Jessica Moore, also a Staten Island resident, also joined her on the shopping trip, saying, “She texted me immediately cause we both love romance novels.”
The Ripped Bodice offers a large variety of romance sub-genres, including contemporary, historical, erotica, LGBTQ+ and paranormal. There’s even a shelf dedicated to love stories that take place in New York City.
The Ripped Bodice also offers readers a chance to go on a “blind date with a book.”
Leah said it’s all about offering a unique in-person experience that you can’t get online.
“It’s very easy to order a book online. So, if you’re going to schlep all the way here, we really want it to be worth it,” she said.