A Book-Themed Hotel Dream Becomes Reality
Interview with Stephanie Olenik on book clubs, believing in our dreams, and building a business
Last week’s interview with Cheryl Cantafio went so well and I heard from many of you who were inspired to consider poetry or publishing for the first time. I am stoked to share this next interview with Stephanie Olenik, a woman who dreamt of a book-themed hotel and then put in the work to bring it to life. Maybe after reading about this book-lover and savvy businesswoman, you’ll be ready to build the business of your dreams!
Stephanie Olenik on the Bookhouse Hotel porch. Stay. Dream. Read. is the tagline.
I was honored to visit The BookHouse Hotel over my birthday this past year and have plans with friends to make a girl’s weekend out of my next visit. It was there that I met Stephanie and was instantly impressed with her ability to make me feel at home. It made perfect sense that she was in the business of welcoming people to stay at her boutique hotel in Kennett Square, PA. I am grateful she took the time to share her wisdom with us all.
The BookHouse Hotel is a book lover's dream! What was the inspiration for it?
A hotel was always on my vision board. I come from the service industry and always loved hospitality. I wanted to create a magical place people could escape to. When the historic building came on the market and it was zoned for a hotel, I knew it would be perfect.
The building was previously a bookstore and they left behind over 5,000 books which now fill all the guest rooms. No one likes to see a bookstore close. I wanted to be able to honor its past and this seemed like a great way to merge two worlds.
Guests can purchase the books in the hotel on bookshop.org which donates 10% to indie bookstores. I think guests really love to be able to browse the books in the rooms and then ship them to their house if they want to purchase them!
It’s like sleeping over in a bookstore ~ a dream come true for many, including myself! What has the response been like from the community?
I was worried about changing the building into a hotel from a bookstore and how the community would react but I have experienced nothing but support. In October 2023 over 100 people showed up for the Grand Opening celebration.
Other local businesses partnered with us to offer their goods in the hotel. Each room has a small kitchenette area with a bar sink, mini fridge, a keurig with Horn and Hardart coffee, and a tea kettle with Mrs. Robinson’s Tea, another amazing local business in Kennett Square. We even partnered with Longwood Gardens and Taste of Local Food Tours for discounted pricing.
Everyone has been so supportive in our town and beyond. We already have almost 16k followers on Instagram from people all over the country! Join in the excitement and follow us there: @thebookhousehotels.
I just joined the BookHouse Hotel book club and I'm pumped for my September box to arrive. Book clubs are a powerful tool for healing as they allow us to connect with others and build a community. What is your vision for the book club?
Members of the BookHouse Hotel Book Club all share a passion for books, like me, and the community is growing. Since we ship out the book boxes with the book and curated gifts quarterly, right to members’ doors, anyone from anywhere can join! We have 110 members already and a couple of members are from out of state which I think is so amazing.
I envision the book club going nationwide with my goal being to gather 10,000 book-lovers together for the book club. I hope to host in-person meet-ups at the hotel and as it expands, I would love to see book club meet-ups popping up in everyone’s community.
My whole dream with the hotel, and with the book club, is to bring people together through the love of literature.
I think I’m most excited about bringing everyone together at our inaugural Book Ball taking place this winter at our new second location at Faunbrook in West Chester, PA. Yes, a BOOK BALL!
Here’s Stephanie sharing more about the book club and upcoming Book Ball!
A Book Ball?! I can’t wait to live out my Cinderella fantasy of attending a ball. When is it?
Save the date - it’s November 16, 2024! I think it will be a huge hit and it will be a time when we can all get together. Book Club Members get cool benefits like lifetime discounts on hotel rooms and exclusive discounts and priority access tickets to the Ball.
So the Ball will be at the second location you mentioned in West Chester which is now under construction. I hope to host writer's retreats there once it opens! Could you tell us more about it?
The new place is going to be amazing! It is an old Victorian mansion with 7 guest rooms, a parlor, and a beautiful library we are currently restoring. We can host events of up to 100 people so it’ll be ideal for weddings and other events like book signings. It is a very magical space and I feel lucky to be able to bring it back to life. We are hoping to be done by the end of October.
I’ve enjoyed watching the construction online with your insta-updates. It is a huge undertaking and it’s going to be gorgeous.
And if you didn’t have enough on your plate, you also recently started the Bedside Bookworm podcast where you interview authors at the hotel. What's that experience been like?
It is so fun jumping in bed and talking with the authors! It is not so fun editing. It is all a learning curve and I am figuring it out every day.
Check out the Bedside Bookworm Podcast: including an interview with me <3
We had such fun with that interview! When I was on your podcast, you asked me which author I’d want to stay at the hotel with and so I wanted to ask you, who is your dream author to interview on the podcast and why?
This is such a hard question. Can it be a dead person?! I can’t answer this. Oh my god, I don’t even have a favorite color! Maybe someone from the past? I can’t choose.
I know there are just too many amazing writers living and dead to choose from!
Many fantastic writers are here on Substack and are trying to grow their audience - and you do such a great job of this. You have reached people across the country through your hotel, book club, and podcast. Could you tell us about how you have worked to grow your business?
I don’t have any specific tips besides being yourself. I think people can tell when you are being authentic and I believe they are drawn to that. It isn’t hard for other people to be passionate about something if you are passionate about it. That type of energy is contagious.
I’ve learned that social media is a full-time job, but it is easier when you post what you want and believe in. For me, it is books and community!
Your passion is clear and it is certainly inspiring. When things get difficult or you're busy and get stressed, how do you cope with it all? What strategies or tools have you found helpful on your journey?
When I am on my game I am mediating, exercising daily, eating right, and spending time with family and friends - being in the moment.
I don’t think there is ever balance, something will always be out of whack but it’s how you respond and react.
I have faith that everything will always work out the way that it’s supposed to. I surround myself with people are are supportive and I am not afraid to ask for help!
Fantastic tips, Stephanie. Yes to all of that! Building a strong support network is key so how can my subscribers find you and connect with you to join the community you’re building?
The easiest place to go is our website where you can “book” a room to stay with us and see the magic for yourself!
You can also find us on Instagram of which we now have 3 accounts: @thebookhousehotels, @thebookhousefaunbrook and @thebhbookclub
I’d love to also connect with book lovers personally so reach out to my Instagram at @stepholenikandco
Thank you so much for sharing your passion and your insights with us. You’ve been able to build a business by believing in your dreams and you inspire us all to do the same. I’ll see you at the Book Ball!
Journal Prompts:
Stephanie had a dream of opening a book-themed hotel. What is a dream you have for yourself? Write about it as if it already happened, in the present and past tense, and relish in how it feels to behave as if you believed in it. Do this daily and see if it enhances your self-confidence after a week.
Have you ever joined a book club? What were some of the benefits you found from being involved in the group? Check out this post I’m a Book Club Collector about the various types of book clubs I’ve engaged with and write about which one sounds right for you. Consider starting this type of book club with friends!
Stephanie copes with stress by surrounding herself with supportive people. Who are the supportive people in your life? Make a list of everyone who has helped you get to where you are today. For extra fun, pick a few of them and write out a thank you card (or an email or text) sharing your appreciation for their kindness and how it’s helped you. Sharing this gratitude will brighten their day, and yours.
Thank you for reading Write to Heal. Please hit that heart button❤️if you made it this far. I’d love to hear your thoughts about books, book clubs, and building a business.
Write to Heal will always be free. If you’d like to donate to the cause, feel free to buy me a chai! Your support is much appreciated.
Fragile Thoughts: A Healing Memoir is available anywhere books are sold.
This sounds awesome! Hope to visit one day with my friend who also loves books and reading!
I can imagine these going down really well in the UK. I wonder whether they exist here.