CYNTHIANA, Ky. (LEX 18) — This fall, two Harrison County businesses are pairing up and expanding as they take over the space left empty by the Burley Market's closure in August.
"This is a Hallmark movie," said Ashley Peak, co-owner of the Next Chapter Bookstore, which opened last November and currently operates in a smaller shop on Walnut Street in downtown Cynthiana.
They may be in the business of books, but Peak says this next move feels like the start of something you'd see on the silver screen.
"This is what we've always wanted," she said. "We wanted to give people a space where they can come in, get a good book, grab a cup of coffee, sit down and be together. It's Hallmark."
This October, the owners will move their books into the historic space on the corner of Pike and Walnut Streets.
"It's the prettiest building downtown," Peak said. "We adored it while it was open as the Burley, and that's why when the opportunity kept knocking, we couldn't say no."
The Sweet Boutique couldn't pass up the opportunity either. They plan to see coffee and treats alongside the next bestseller, in addition to their new store across the street.
"Coffee and books, they're kind of a no-brainer," said Chelsea Hill, who will manage the Sweet Boutique side of the business.
"The opportunity to come together and enjoy this space as friends, family, community members… it's a match made in heaven," she said.
And as for the Burley Market's famous cinnamon roll recipe? Hill says we'll have to wait and see if it's on their menu.
Either way, they're hoping for sweet success as they turn the page to this building's second chapter.
Both Hill and Peak said they're planning to hire more employees ahead of the bookstore's opening.
