ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Summer is a great time to slow down and take a break from busy schedules.
And an Englewood bookstore invites you to come relax in their serene setting. You're in good company this week with Petals & Pages.
The new space just opened in Englewood, inside the Birdsall and Co. Garden Boutique.
Dylah Ray is the owner Petals & Pages, a floral bar and bookstore to complement her adjoining coffee shop The Botanical Bakery.
"You know, you can have a lavender latte, something that's a little soothing," Ray said. "And have a baked good. My favorite right now is our lemon meringue tart."
The idea to combine the two stemmed from her downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a getaway from her corporate and political careers.
"I was just busy all the time," Ray said. "I was traveling. I was stressed. So, I wanted to fuse that relaxing feeling I got being in the garden, gardening with fresh flowers, and baking."
In its short time, it has flourished as a place to reconnect.
"All of the poems that are on our arrangements are from a local poet in our community," said Ray.
It's a place where you're encouraged to slow down, have conversations with friends, or get lost in a book. Petals & Pages also hosts open mic night on the first Thursday of each month.
"It's where people could share poems and music," Ray said. "We started creating this very vibrant and talented community of poets, musicians, artists."
You can even attend one of their art classes, write a book review, or create your own flower bouquet at their floral bar.
It's an urban oasis that's become a welcome escape.
"I think in the future, we'd like to have a bigger bookstore — a bigger footprint so we can offer even more of those services," Ray said.
