Meet Stephanie Webb | Owner of Tongue in Cheek Bookshop

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephanie Webb and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephanie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have owned a few other businesses in the past, and I really wanted to bring a romance bookshop to Denver. Bookstores are places for community and connection – they are third spaces – which are disappearing (https://theweek.com/culture-life/third-places-disappearing). We need more third spaces because they build relationships and provide a sense of belonging.

Yes, Tongue in Cheek will be a bookstore, but it will also be a place that hosts events, book clubs, and authors. Building this business will give people a place to go who love reading and romance – I am so excited for that.

What should our readers know about your business?
I have owned other businesses in the past, and I have learned from both my wins and losses. In opening Tongue in Cheek, I am trying to take my time to ensure I have the support and financial backing to succeed. My goal is to establish a community of people who not only love books, but who also want a place to connect with others. I truly believe that the romance genre has an incredible readership base, and amazing independent and traditional authors, who deserve a place that celebrates them. Tongue in Cheek will do just that.

I am excited to showcase the broad range of romance. While it is often seen as “only for women,” I wholeheartedly believe that romance can be a boon for everyone. Good stories are about a character who fundamentally changes, and people read to witness their journey. The journey is often about how they connect with others, including romantic relationships. I can’t wait to open more eyes to the magic that comes with relating in reading.

Also, I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite activities is reading while soaking in the bathtub with a libation at hand. I am building book boxes that include bath bombs and candles that complement the book – incorporating smells or themes in the book into those products. The book boxes also include other bookish fun, like stickers or bookmarks. The book boxes are an immersive experience, literally.

The biggest challenge has been trying to open an online bookshop to scale to a brick and mortar, and therefore competing with international online retailers. I have had so many people ask me for book recommendations and then take a picture of the book to go buy it there, which demonstrates the challenge. I hold out hope that people will see the benefit of spending money that stays within their community.

Tongue in Cheek is a romance bookshop that does not take itself too seriously. Reading and romance should be fun. It should connect people. And it should cultivate our sense of empathy. We are online for now, as well as in person at various markets around the Denver-metro area. If you are new to romance, or a well-established reader, we are your place!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would begin with coffee at Queen City and a pastry at Get Rights. Then, we would head to Ritual Cravt, ReRoot, and tinker on Tennyson. For lunch, we would get a sandwich at Odie B’s, and then head to market run by Herbal Riot. We would conclude with dinner at Brasserie Brixton and drinks at Electric Cure.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My dear friends Leah Seurer and Jessica Campbell, as well as my partner, Alex Schweitzer, have supported this effort and my ridiculous ideas unconditionally. They perception check me and edit my random thoughts. They are the real heroes.

I also would like to shout out to Jenna McNamar, the owner of Rockstar Pole Fitness, who helps me with business owner questions, and provides all kinds of support!

Finally, Anna from Wicked Basement Books has opened a horror book store, and I am grateful to know her as she moves through this process too.

Website: https://www.tongueincheekbookshop.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/tongueincheekbooks