SOUTH SHORE — Two Black woman-owned companies are collaborating to open a “literary lounge” in South Shore with books, residence items and wellness objects on the market as the vacation season shifts into full gear.
Da Guide Joint and Stoviink Creatives are opening Pen and Paper: A Joint Artistic at 6900 S. Stony Island Ave. The store will mix Da Guide Joint’s number of books by Black writers that includes Black characters with Stoviink’s residence and wellness items like candles, lotions, perfumes and extra.
Pen and Paper’s ribbon-cutting ceremony takes place midday Sunday. It’s adopted by a grand opening celebration till 6 p.m., which incorporates a set by DJ Tre Vacation, dwell poetry, raffles, gentle bites and different actions.
The celebration is centered across the theme of “Black Christmas,” with all black apparel requested. Guests are inspired to buy the shop for vacation presents. To register for the free occasion, click on right here.
Pen and Paper goals to be “an area the place there’s data, smell-goods, aromatherapy, [things that give] you a chance to flee from what’s on the opposite aspect of these doorways,” stated Megan “Storie” Warren-Turner, Stoviink’s co-owner.
“Any time you are available there, it’s only a complete vibe — with Black tradition, group and creativity.”
Pen and Paper’s pairing of books with residence and wellness items is a pure one, and the companion companies will “combine merchandise with one another,” the house owners stated.
For instance, sure e-book releases from Da Guide Joint will likely be packaged with Stoviink’s candles, sprays or different objects with the same theme, stated Mary “Tovi Khali” Turner, Stoviink’s co-owner.
“We’re ensuring the group understands its all in line,” Turner stated. “You’ll see books splayed in every single place — not simply in a single part — with sprays, soaps and colognes all mingled and intertwined, with artwork in between the whole lot.
“Nothing is simply regular. It’s all inventive, and all meant to verify your whole senses are heightened once you’re right here.”
The companies even have a shared historical past as former tenants of the Boxville market, 330 E. 51st St. in Washington Park.
Boxville served as a “stepping stone” for the companies to develop and discover their very own storefront, Verlean Singletary stated. She co-owns Da Guide Joint together with her daughter, Courtney Woods.
However the retailers additionally struggled to attract prospects to the placement, the house owners stated. Singletary and Woods have been even prepared to shut the store earlier this yr earlier than Boxville’s proprietor, City Juncture, supplied to assist with hire via final winter.
“Being in Boxville, we had loads of $0 days,” Woods stated. “… One factor I respect from Boxville is that it wasn’t a kind of excellent, cookie-cutter conditions. Typically it was nice; generally it was actually, actually arduous, and that has made us extra resilient as enterprise house owners.”
The house owners are excited concerning the further area the brand new storefront supplies, they stated.
Da Guide Joint will develop its stock and proceed internet hosting e-book signings, e-book golf equipment, a “Books and Brunch” sequence and kid-focused occasions from the store, Woods stated. Stoviink has been approached about internet hosting listening events and performances there, whereas the model’s “Artwork Off the Wall” exhibition sequence will return in February, Turner stated.
“We consider Da Guide Joint as a protected area, and that’s what Pen and Paper goes to be for the neighborhood — a protected area for us to come back in, take into consideration our self care, and handle us and the group,” Singletary stated.
The shop will likely be obtainable to hire for private occasions and conferences, whereas future plans embody opening a café, including one other e-book membership to the roster and beginning an open mic sequence. The house owners are open to internet hosting no matter occasions will resonate with their prospects and the neighborhood, they stated.
“There is no such thing as a restrict to the sort of programming we’re going to convey into this area — artwork, literacy, wellness, cultural moments, a straight up barbecue for the group,” Turner stated. “That’s actually the place we’re. That’s what we love about [the space].”
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