It’s more than just her own lifelong love of literature and language that led Jen Stevenson to launch Courageous Books.
“We’re made to be connected and communicative as a species. I just believe in the idea that we’re meant to be together,” says the Dexter resident of twenty years. “So that makes me feel confident that when we’re here together, it will feel good for other people too, and they’ll want to keep coming back.”
The independent bookstore has taken cues from community members and staff interests in stocking everything from children’s books to horror, fantasy, nonfiction, and manga, along with literary-themed gifts and writing and art supplies.
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The former Painted Trout store sports custom shelving fixtures and bold primary colors on the walls, including a rainbow brick pattern. A veteran of Zingerman’s Deli and Schuler Books and the mother of two, Stevenson says she’ll also be adding a bar for coffee, tea, and pastries in the 2,100-square-foot space.
She aims to personalize engagement with author events, story times, workshops, movie screenings, book clubs, and a teen book fair—all aspects of bookselling that can’t be delivered at the tap of a smartphone.
As the name suggests, it’s a challenging industry, but Stevenson says the loss of a dear sister-in-law a few years ago helped crystallize the imperative of turning daydreams into reality.
“Those types of things get people to think about how short life is, and what are we doing with our time here,” she reflects. “I don’t want to get to a place a decade from now and be like, ‘What if I had tried that?’”
Courageous Books, 8063 Main, Dexter. (734) 253–2178. Sun.–Thurs. 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 9 a.m.–8 p.m. courageousbooks.com