Floriane Maza and Angela Ieffi are launching a crowdfunding campaign to open Books’Apothecary, an English-language romance bookstore and café in downtown La Rochelle, by the end of the year, Sud Ouest reported.
The Bottom Line for Books’Apothecary
- The Founders: Floriane Maza and Angela Ieffi previously worked in the digital sector in Paris before planning their relocation.
- The Concept: A dedicated English-language romance bookstore paired with a café space in central La Rochelle.
- The Timeline: The duo launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund the opening by the end of the year, bringing forward a goal originally set for 2027.
Relocating from Paris to La Rochelle
The founders originally set a timeline of 2027 at the latest to leave Paris and the digital industry where they both worked. Angela Ieffi and Floriane Maza noted that the plan was even written down in their agenda following the Covid-19 crisis, according to Sud Ouest.
That timeline accelerated, leading the pair to establish a crowdfunding campaign to secure the physical space. The project centers on creating an English-language bookshop and cafe hybrid in the center of La Rochelle.
Launching the English Romance Bookstore Concept
The upcoming shop aims to carve out a specific niche in downtown La Rochelle by focusing exclusively on anglophone romance titles. Books’Apothecary is designed to offer both a curated menu and a dedicated physical environment for readers of the genre.
The crowdfunding campaign currently underway is intended to finalize the storefront preparations and set up the café area before the close of the year.
