What do you do when you have good retail frontage on Bloomfield Avenue but don’t need it all for your existing business? You turn it into an independent book store.
That’s what Josh Jacobs, the owner of Hearth Realty, and his wife Lauren Jacobs, are going to do at 460 Bloomfield Avenue across the street from Verona Park and where Hearth Realty’s Verona office is located.
“Although our team and business are growing, the real estate office has become less important to conducting business,” Josh Jacobs, says of Hearth Realty, which is located next to Dolce Marie Cafe & Bakeshop. “Customers don’t walk into the office for real estate services anymore. The state still requires brokerages to maintain office space and we are fortunate to have other office space in the building that we will be able to use for real estate purposes while dedicating the front to the bookstore.”
The Collective Bookstore, as the new bookstore will be known, will offer a collection of books and gifts and specialize in new releases, best sellers, children’s books, classics and select vinyl records. Additionally, the store will also offer special programs for local book clubs, teachers, and unique shopping experiences for customers. Special events will include a rotating feature of authors and product features from local businesses. Jacobs expects the store to hold a grand opening in July.
“Our mission as residents and local business owners has always been to help strengthen our community,” says Jacobs. “Over the last five years, our affiliated businesses (including Hearth Realty Group) have supported over 100 local charities and organizations. The bookstore will donate a percentage of annual profits on an ongoing basis to our education programs, offer fundraising opportunities for local organizations, teacher
discounts for classroom products, and educational and field trip programs throughout the year.”
Residents can shop the bookstore even before the physical store opens by placing special orders for book clubs or school events or shopping on www.TCbookstore.com.
The Collective Bookstore
460 Bloomfield Avenue
Verona, NJ 07044
