Who We Are

Pages & Grapes is a distinctive literary destination that brings together a passion for romance novels and a refined appreciation for fine wines. Our bookstore is a sanctuary for lovers of storytelling, and an elegant selection of wines.

Pages & Grapes is a distinctive literary destination that brings together a passion for romance novels and a refined appreciation for fine wines. Our bookstore is a sanctuary for lovers of storytelling, offering a curated collection of romance novels that captivate and transport readers into enchanting worlds of love. In addition to its literary offerings, Pages & Grapes features an elegant selection of locally sourced wines, enhancing the overall experience. More than just a bookstore, Pages & Grapes is a community space that embraces romance and celebrates life's finer pleasures in a welcoming and judgment-free environment. Dedicated to fostering a sense of connection among like-minded readers, our store also emphasizes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Pages & Grapes aims to provide an exceptional customer experience while supporting local businesses and products, making it a cherished haven for romantic readers and a hub for meaningful relationships.

Our Mission

At Pages & Grapes, our mission is to cultivate a community of romantic readers who can connect and discover their next great read in a judgment-free environment. We are dedicated to providing exceptional customer experiences, fostering meaningful relationships, and supporting local businesses and products.

Our Vision

Our vision is to inspire passion and offer literary freedom for readers to explore and experience romance novels without judgment. We aim to become a beloved destination for romantic readers, where they can indulge in their favorite genre, connect with like-minded individuals, and enjoy a unique and memorable shopping experience.

Our Philosophy

At Pages and Grapes, our core values drive everything we do. We are committed to fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, ensuring transparency and upholding the highest standards of integrity and respect. Our dedication to sustainability and continuous improvement guides our efforts to serve our staff, customers, partners, and the community with excellence and ethical responsibility.

Hello, my name is Heather, and I am the founder and owner of Pages & Grapes. Born and raised in Michigan, tree hugger, huge supporter of small businesses, and loves to laugh and enjoy life. With a Bachelor degree in Business and Entrepreneurship.

Heather

Hello, my name is Heather, and I am the founder and owner of Pages & Grapes. James Jones, my real-life HEA, is my best friend and business partner.

How did my business idea come to fruition you may ask. Last year (2023), I was knee deep in classes for my Bachelor degree and Entrepreneurship was one of my mandatory classes. We had to come up with a business idea to create a business plan for our term project. I told my professor that I am not an entrepreneur, and I am not creative enough to come up with a business idea in a week! She told me to dig deep and use a hobby or passion to start the foundation. I love reading and reminded myself that I dreamed of owning a bookstore years ago…right as E-books started to gain popularity (broke my heart). My dream was re-envisioned into a romance bookstore because it is the genre that I read. From there I knew that I wanted to create a romantic atmosphere and selling wines seemed like a logical pairing since it has been associated with romance since ancient Rome. As my research progressed, I realized that my dreaded course project had turned into a viable business idea, and at the end of the course, I had a good start to my official business plan.

A little bit about me: I have a wonderful and rewarding career in the non-profit sector, a cat named Mandy that isn’t as nice as her name suggests, born and raised in Michigan, tree hugger, huge supporter of small businesses, and loves to laugh and enjoy life with James by my side. A few of my favorite romance authors are Kristen Ashley, Tiffany Snow, Mariana Zapata, and Tara Sivec. As for wines, I am all about the sweet ones.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know me! Please follow Pages & Grapes for updates on the progression of our store opening.

I'm James, owner of Pages & Grapes, and a proud native of West Michigan. I'm intrigued by the mysteries of a good suspenseful whodunit, and despite my passion for solving crimes, I hold a degree in Information Technology.

James

Hello, I'm James, owner of Pages & Grapes, and a proud native of West Michigan. Raised with values centered on respect and helping others, I find joy in life's simple pleasures, surrounded by nature and intrigued by the mysteries of a good suspenseful whodunnit. Despite my passion for solving crimes, I hold a degree in Information Technology, embodying the duality of my interests.

By day, I've dedicated my professional life to technology, while weekends often find me immersed in the world of small “Mom and Pop shops”. What I love most is the personal touch—addressing customers by name, anticipating their needs, and witnessing their satisfaction as they leave. This commitment to customer happiness stems from my own experiences as a consumer.

Family and friends are the pillars of my life, and I cherish moments like cookouts and long drives to nowhere. My world revolves around my kids, grandkids, siblings, and my heart and soul, Heather. My decision-making for Pages & Grapes is guided by a blend of logical thinking, emotional intelligence, and good old-fashioned common sense. It's a formula that ensures the best outcomes for our business and, more importantly, our guests.

Pages and Grapes at FOX 17 Morning Mix.
Pages and Grapes at FOX 17 Morning Mix studio.
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Pages and Grapes on the set at the FOX 17 Morning Mix.
Fox17 Pages & Grapes Video

USA Today

  • "Pages and Grapes is my favorite romance only book store. Just the vibe and feel is so welcoming! And the Owners care so much about the community and are constantly trying to find ways to help where they can."

    5 Stars — Allison Saunders

  • "5 Stars."

    5 Stars — Ashe White-Burgess

  • "Cute little book store, very welcoming and super friendly staff."

    5 Stars — Michaela Lubbers

  • "5 Stars."

    5 Stars — Jenna

  • "Such a wonderful space for the romance readers! The owners are literally the kindest humans and makes it such a wonderful space to pick up your favorite spicy books, find your tribe and pick up some wine to end the night on a good note! 10/10 recommend."

    5 Stars — Jentien Saganski

  • "Pages & Grapes is such a bright place to visit. The books selection is vast, even considering it’s romance-only. They also sell an abundance of fun wines and popular ciders. Most favorable of all, I think, is how Pages & Grapes participates in the community. From hosting book clubs with Michigan authors, to fun, unique events, etc. I’m so glad I live walking distance away! Thank you Heather and James!"

    5 Stars — Olivia Conran

  • "Best place to go for a great read and convos."

    5 Stars — Marcus Jones

  • "Absolutely wonderful place , great selection of books , and wine ! Plus other treasures to go along with your reading."

    5 Stars — Toni Adams

  • "Heather and James have created an amazing space for romance readers. Definitely my favorite bookstore in the Grand Rapids Area."

    5 Stars — Jacqueline White

  • "5 Stars."

    5 Stars — Casey Dillard

  • "What a wonderful shop with huge variety of romance! I am already planning my trip back."

    5 Stars — C K

  • "I was told by one of my gym mates about this place and I wanted to check it out. It was nice and had a lot of snacks and they sell wines there too. Everyone was very nice. I'll be back."

    5 Stars — Angelic Houston

  • "Very friendly owners and this bookstore has everything I could ask for."

    5 Stars — Melinda Labelle

  • "Very nice people with a great set up and an amazing selection of books and wines!"

    5 Stars — Travis McClellan

  • "I love this place. I always like going here and choosing a new romance book to read. The owners are always super welcoming and helpful. It’s a plus because now they have wine! I plan on coming back."

    5 Stars — Allison Guy

  • "Cute book shop with all your romance needs! I was in and out quickly today for an event they had, but I found some books I've been wanting to read. They are super kind and welcoming too. Can't wait to return!"

    5 Stars — Moriah Findlay

  • "Great place for your romance books, a large variety, friendly owners, and fair prices."

    5 Stars — Savanah Kosten

  • "Cutest little spot. Romance books with a good selection of dark romance, too! Owners are very sweet. I will be back!"

    5 Stars — Brook'l Miller

  • "Cute little romance only book store. Went in for a book swap today and ended up buying a couple books & a bookmark while I was there! I’ll definitely be going back!"

    5 Stars — Beth Shira

  • "5 Stars."

    5 Stars — Amanda Mandigo

  • "Let’s talk about this absolutely amazing book store. First of all: supporting local with my book addiction is my absolute favorite thing in the world. All though this store is small, it is MIGHTY! I am an avid dark romance reader and it’s been so hard to find the books I want! Barnes and nobles, target and Walmart are too scared to sell the books I read… NOT Pages & Grapes. They have such a wide selection and variety for all readers! Anything from young adult, to dark spicy, romance, thrillers and even an LGBTQ+ section! The environment is so comfortable and fun to be in. The lady that runs this store has been absolutely lovely to converse and work with! I’ve now introduced and shown my book friends this store and we will simply never go back to big chain stores for our books. I can’t wait for the upcoming events that will be hosted while watching and enjoying this stores growth!"

    5 Stars — Rachel Malone

  • "Very cute space and great selection of romance books and gifts. The loose leaf teas looked amazing. Friendly staff. I know where to go if I'm looking for a romance book!"

    5 Stars — Carly Fleser

  • "Newly opened romance bookstore in Wyoming. Shop has a lovely airy feeling but with a good selection of books around the walls. There is seating if you need it and the owners were very feeling and welcoming. If you are looking for a new romance story to read, take a trip and pop in. It will be worth it."

    5 Stars — Ryan Niblett

  • "Went to the Grand Opening of Pages & Grapes, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s to come with this bookstore. Nothing but good vibes, and some 🌶️🌶️🌶️ selections! Cheers! 🍷🍷🍷 …"

    5 Stars — Cassandra Johnson

  • "Super cute -romance only- book store!! They sell Michigan-made wine and hard cider as well and have a pretty wide selection of books/ genres! The owners were also super nice and friendly :) "

    5 Stars — Emily H

  • "Grand Rapids' first romance-only bookstore is a hit! They have great selection in every genre and the staff was super nice. They have all sorts of goodies to go with your book reading, from themed candles to tea. I do wish there were more bookshelves (currently only on outside of room) but I'm sure it'll grow. They also had a lot of second or third books in a series but not first. I also went on opening day so I'm assuming shelves might have been sparse due to the large amount of customers that came in. Awesome spot and great crowd. Recommend if you're a romance lover of any capacity--fantasy, contemporary, LGBTQ+, and more!!"

    4 Stars - Arianna K

  • "5 Stars."

    5 Stars — Katelyn Reese

  • "5 Stars."

    5 Stars - Sarah Bergan

  • "A rom-com novel + a bottle of wine = an HEA evening for me (: I dropped by P&G to purchase a copy of Lucy Score's recent release. The last copy sold today, but the owner was working to get more shipped to the store. I asked whether the books would be in before April 7th, as I'd be leaving town that day. She turned away from the desk, pulled a book from the reserved shelf, and sold it to me. It was her signed copy?!! She said she could get another one. Best. Customer service. EVER. Thank you Heather"

    5 Stars - Ann Holmes

  • "Oh my stars! This cute book store also has wine! Sip and read!"

    5 Stars - Brittany Howell

  • "This was my first time visiting Pages and Grapes and it is a wonderful store! The owners were very welcoming and nice. They have a great selection of wines and the way the have the books separated by genre make it so easy to find what you are looking for!"

    5 stars - Lynn Colvin

  • "Great bookstore dedicated to romance novels! There's a pretty good variety of genres within the romance umbrella. I only wish their LGBTQ selection was somewhat larger, though it was nice to have a dedicated section to know where to look. The owner was nice to chat with."

    5 Stars - Summer Star

  • "5 Stars"

    5 Stars - Mary H

  • "Absolutely amazing! Since my first visit when they just opened until now, this store literally just keeps getting better. I hated wine until I discovered some sweet reds suggested by the owners and never leave without a new novel. I highly recommend to any romance lover!"

    5 Stars - M Newberg

  • "This is my favorite romance book store! If they don’t have something in stock they will order it and text you when it’s in! As a perk I can take my pups book shopping with me!"

    5 Stars - Hannah Zwagerman

  • "Nice place to shop, good book selections, wine, very helpful and pleasant owners. I will definitely go back."

    4 Stars - Jennifer Stowell

  • "5 Stars."

    5 Stars - Emily Becker

  • "I had been DYING to come here since they opened and I was not disappointed! I went on Indie Bookstore Day, and they had ALL the spice and all the accompaniments to go with them. Also, the store itself is soooooo pretty and unique! I was also able to grab my first Non-Empyrean Rebecca Yarros books! Almost an entire set! (I didn’t notice book 1 was missing until later lol). And I got a blind book with my purchase and omg, it looks like a cute read that is RIGHT up my alley. Cannot wait to get to it. Staff was SPECTACULAR even with it being so late in a hectic day. They were on top of it."

    5 Stars - Sabrina Cooper

  • "Really cute bookshop!"

    5 Stars - August Selo

  • "Pages & Grapes is such a charming little bookstore! The shop has a cozy, welcoming atmosphere that makes you want to slow down and browse. The owners were incredibly kind and friendly, which made the experience even better. You can tell they genuinely care about their customers and their store. If you're looking for a local bookstore with character, great vibes, and wonderful people, I highly recommend stopping by!"

    5 Stars - Whitney Phillips

  • "5 Stars."

    5 Stars - Nichoel Cruz

  • "5 Stars."

    5 Stars - Melissa Winslow

  • "Great selection of contemporary romance, paranormal romance, romantasy. I particularly loved that there are a ton of local romance authors and small press books you can’t find elsewhere."

    5 Stars - Jordon Freeman