Hello, friends!
We are only three days away from the first Why Choose romance bookstore pop-up! Books and merch have been scanned into the system, decorations and swag have been procured, and my stomach hurts something fierce. But we’re going to have the best time, no matter what!
The most important information about the pop-up is what I’ve been sharing over and over again. Day, time, address. Also that it’s the first one and there are likely to be hiccups. Please, please, please: be patient.
But here are some logistical things to discuss!
Parking
4th & 4th doesn’t have parking, but there is plenty of free street parking on the north end of Fourth Avenue. By 2pm, the church just north of us should be out, but please don’t park in their lot (they will tow you). If you don’t like to parallel park, there are a few surface lots further down Fourth and a couple of the newer developments have underground or covered parking. There is additional street parking off of Fourth, but check the signs before you pick a spot—some are residents only on weekdays, while others are 24/7. No matter where you park, it shouldn’t be too far of a walk to 4th & 4th.
Payment
We’ll be able to take payments via card/tap or, if you prefer, paypal/venmo/zelle. We’ll be able to make limited change for cash, but things will definitely go faster if you pay with credit/debit.
Giveaways
Thanks to our friends at Libro.fm, we’ll have a few free audiobook codes to give away as close to the hour marks at 3, 4, and 5 as we can get. We’ll also close the evening out with a mystery ARC giveaway (promise it’s for something coming out in the future!). We’ll also have a little grab bag of author swag and con giveaways while supplies last. There are some fun things that sat forgotten in con bags for years ;)
What You Can Buy
If you’re like me, a bookstore is a joyous thing, but also overwhelming! We’ll have some familiar titles that you might be looking for (both used and new), and you can always ask me (and your fellow shoppers) for some guidance on what you or a loved one might like. There is a pretty balanced number of traditional and indie (and a lot of the indie books are signed and/or include additional print goodies), and there are a pretty significant number of used romances for you to buy. But even if you don’t do print books, there are still some fun things for you to buy:
Stickers! Get stickers from Tucson company Rather Keen, romance authors Kit Rocha, and maybe some special things from yours truly
More stuff from Rather Keen like keychains and pins
Fidget toys like hexes and dinosaur friends
Fancy schmancy bookmarks
Other stuff? Who knows
We’re all going to have an amazing time, and I’ve been working on a bangin’ romance playlist for us to sing along to all afternoon! (Well, I’ll be singing along, anyway.)
See you soon!
TL;DR
Winter Break Pop-Up
December 28th, 2025
2pm to 6pm
402 E 4th St. Tucson, AZ 85705
Come for the books, stay for the company.
(And the giveaways!)
Park on the street, pay with the rplastic.
Be gentle; it’s my first time.
—Jess
Owner, Why Choose: A Romance Bookstore