Lehi Business
New romance-only bookstore opening on Lehi Main
Brynn Carnesecca | Lehi Free Press
On Oct. 19, a new bookstore will open on Main Street. Unlike big-wigs like Barnes and Noble and Amazon, the Lagg (Like a Good Girl) book store will be a mecca for women and will only stock and sell romance books.
Lagg has been a year in the making for long-time AFHS teachers Whitney Beckstead and Kara Allen. As they worked together, they discovered a mutual love for reading—specifically the romance genre. They frequently found themselves discussing their favorite authors and new releases and felt a pull to enhance their current teaching careers with a creative venture.
“We both had an idea of getting to own a bookstore where we get to talk about what we are so excited about. It didn’t feel like there was a physical space to do that, even though there are a lot of online spaces such as Bookstagram and BookTok,” Beckstead expressed. “We both had in our minds that we wanted to have a physical creation of that space.”
One night while attending an online book event, the duo decided to make their dream a reality and build a romance-only bookstore. The pair narrowed down from a few locations to find a space previously owned by Slope House Mercantile. They felt drawn to the community feeling of Lehi Main while still being close to their roots in American Fork.
Lagg brings a unique twist to the classic bookstore, emphasizing the increasingly popular romance genre.
“We only sell romance. Another big difference is that we are going to be more of a bookstore and boutique,” Allen said. “There will be lots of merch here. We will have stickers, keychains, jewelry and clothing. Basically, everything that girls need.”
In addition to the regular hours of operation, Lagg will host many book-related events.
“We are definitely going to do midnight release parties related to books. We also want to host book clubs and have a space in the back that we will rent out to groups. We see us in the future being a space that can help educate women,” Beckstead explained.
In the weeks since announcing Lagg, the pair has received an outpouring of support from American Fork students, parents and faculty.
“I feel like even through posting on social media, I have felt so loved and taken care of by our community. We still have a huge passion for teaching, which is really present in what we are looking to do in the future. I love our community, and I feel extremely proud to be a part of the school,” Beckstead said.
Allen and Beckstead hope to provide a safe space for women in Utah County to embrace the books they love.
“For a long time, romance has been a secret passion of women. Most people don’t realize it is as popular as it is. Romance is the highest-grossing genre. It is massive and, in many ways, people are shocked by that statistic because so many women have kept it hidden,” Allen shared. “But with BookTok and these romance bookstores opening, we as women are living more honestly. I love the idea of bringing how women are living to the forefront.”
Allen continued, “We were already reading romance, and we aren’t ashamed of it anymore. This is a part of girl culture and it’s not something to be embarrassed about. It’s something to celebrate and talk about. We are so excited to be a part of it.”
Lagg will open on Oct. 19 with a grand opening celebration from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. For more information, follow @laggbookstore on TikTok and Instagram.
