Loyalty Books, which opened its first bookstore in February in the former home of Upshur Street Books in Washington, D.C., is already in expansion mode. The store is looking to open a permanent location in Silver Springs, Md. where it had previously operated a pop-up store.
Gene Taft, who previously served in various executive positions in publishing houses in New York before moving to Maryland and running his own public relations company and working as publicity director of Johns Hopkins University Press, has joined Loyalty Bookstores as a partner, investor and marketing specialist. Together with owner Hannah Oliver Depp, they are looking to add a new location, in Silver Spring. "It's a fast-growing, vibrant community and one that isn't already serviced by a good independent bookstore," said Taft.
To open the store, Loyalty will be launching an IndieGoGo campaign to raise capital and have already begun selling annual and lifetime store memberships that entitle customers to discounts. If successfully opened, the Maryland location is expected to encompass some 2,400 sq.-ft., which would make it at least three times larger than the Washington D.C. location.
