Two Duxbury women have started a new type of independent bookselling business. Booked. is a hybrid virtual bookstore that specializes in hosting pop-up book sales and special author events. Founders Jane Robbins and Sallyann Roberts got the idea for their business after Duxbury’s beloved Westwinds Bookshop closed its doors last year. Robbins had worked at Westwinds for three years and knew how challenging running a brick-and-mortar bookstore could be. She also knew that Duxbury was home to a vibrant community of book lovers.
The two friends launched Booked in August of 2019 and have been working with several community partners to host events that showcase the latest bestsellers and provide readers with opportunities to purchase them. “We are hoping to fill some of the void by providing a way for people to gather and talk about books,” says Robbins.
In December, the Booked crew hosted a successful holiday pop-up at The Concept Shed in Duxbury. They’ve also collaborated with the Duxbury Senior Center on its Booked for Lunch series and have worked with the Kingston Senior Center and Duxbury Free Library. “In essence, we replicate the experience of a browsing bookstore, offering suggestions and helping people discover new books,” says Roberts. They also take special orders for books they don’t carry.
On March 29, Booked will be setting up its traveling bookshelves at the Duxbury Spring Antique Show. This event will take place from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Duxbury High School. In early June, Booked is teaming up with the Duxbury Free Library to host a special evening with author Elin Hilderbrand. This event will take place the week before Hilderbrand’s newest novel “28 Summers” is scheduled to be released and Hilderbrand will be reading an excerpt at the event.
According to Robbins and Roberts, the response to their literary experiment has been overwhelmingly positive. “We’re doing this to keep books in the community and to have some fun,” says Robbins. For more information on upcoming Booked events, visit facebook.com/booked.dux