Our Team
Marissa
Co-OwnerUsed to juggle nursing and mom life until a strike unexpectedly gave me the chance to fall back in love with reading. Steph offered me her copy of We’ll Always Have Summer (Team Connie, if you know you know 😉). I devoured it in two days and immediately craved that feeling again—the thrill, the emotions, the world I could disappear into. Cue my re-entrance to the book community.
The love of stories—and of the joy they create when shared—led me to this next chapter: opening a bookstore. We wanted to build a place where people could find their next escape, bond over their favorite books, and experience that same magic. Friends to Bookends is our little corner of the world where books bring us together, one story at a time.
Steph and I have shared our fair share of crazy adventures, and now we’re inviting you to join us on our favorite one yet- this little dream come to life!
Co-OwnerSteph
Mom of two, former SiriusXM producer, and currently a Lagree instructor. After nearly a decade away from reading, finding my way back to stories felt like coming home.
Marissa and I met on a sidewalk in our Allentown, NJ neighborhood while our kids played nearby. A real-life meet cute. We became book besties, Swifties, and the kind of friends who decided to be brave enough (and a little weird enough) to turn a shared dream into something real.
This is a space for readers of all ages, for curiosity and connection, for lingering and talking about the book you just loved (or didn’t). Indie bookstores are magical because of the people in them—and we’re building a community where you and yours are always welcome. Come wander with us. We’ll help you find your next perfect read.