More than a Storefront: Women-owned Businesses Create Belonging

From a bookstore that doubles as a “third space” to a wine shop built on intention and culture, women-owned businesses across the region are redefining what it means to serve a community.

Booktenders and Breathe Wine & Culture Co. are continuing to create spaces where connection is just as important as commerce.

BUILDING COMMUNITY ONE BOOK AT A TIME

Booktenders, owned by Ashley Skeen and Mandee Cunningham and located in the Village of Barboursville, regularly acts as a communal space, Skeen said. 

Skeen said the idea for the shop began somewhat unexpectedly when she and her business partner, Mandee Cunningham, realized they had the opportunity to create the kind of bookstore they both admired. 

“I always joke that it was kind of a mistake because our friend owns this building and he jokingly asked me if I wanted to open up a coffee shop and I said, ‘No I’ve always wanted to own a bookstore,’” she said. 

After bringing this up to Cunningham, Skeen said the next day the pair of reading buddies were looking over spreadsheets to launch this concept. 

The two shared a love of bookstores and realized the type of space they wanted did not exist locally, Skeen added. Consequently, they decided to create this dreamed-up space. 

Before opening the bookstore, both of the owners worked as bartenders, an experience that Skeen said helped inspire Booktenders’ unique model of pairing books with beverages beyond coffee. 

“It was natural for us to bring in coffee and tea and even more naturally, beer and wine which helps with creating that nice atmosphere too,” she said. 

At its core, Skeen said the shop is designed as a place of belonging. 

“We’re a friendly bookstore and we really love putting the right book into people’s hands,” Skeen said. “We have a little bit of everything and then whatever we don’t have we can usually order in. We love creating new friendships and new communities.”

Skeen said that in addition to home and work, she hopes that Booktenders can serve as a place individuals regularly frequent. 

“This third space is a place where you go and feel known and accepted and you can create a community,” she said. “There’s a lot of talk around bookstores being third spaces and that is definitely how I see us.”

MOMENTS THAT MATTER

Special moments inside the shop have reinforced that mission of acting as a third space, Skeen added.

“We recently had a local author named Anna Rollins here to talk about her memoir on growing up in diet culture and purity culture,” Skeen said. “The back room was packed and all these women were just able to relate and have this conversation around these topics. That was definitely a ‘this is why we did this’ moment.”

While the journey has been largely positive, certain challenges remain, Skeen said. 

“I’ve definitely felt the effects of how other people have viewed women running businesses differently,” she said. “One of the main things is just the way contractors would talk to us when we first opened.”

Still, Skeen said she is proud to be part of a growing number of female entrepreneurs in the region.

“I feel like this area has a large amount of women entrepreneurs,” she said. “I’m proud to be a part of that.”

CREATING AN INTENTIONAL EXPERIENCE

That same sense of purpose is reflected at Breathe Wine and Culture Co., owned by Cheryl Herdman and her brother Chris Herdman. 

“The entire concept was inspired by big city wine shops, wanting to bring that vibe to the small town area,” Herdman said. “Whenever I would see a shop like that, I would always spend so much time thinking we need this so bad.”

Inside and outside the shop, every detail is curated with purpose, she added.

“Of course the name Breathe is a play on letting wine breathe but also letting yourself breathe and letting yourself take that break you so desperately need,” she said. 

In addition to having unique and meaningful merchandise, Herdman said the shop places a strong emphasis on local sourcing and culture.

“We love to use local bakers and local food distributors within our shop, we try to focus on West Virginia products, West Virginia artisans and just something to bring that West Virginia, Appalachian culture to the world of wine,” she said. 

“We call it intentional,” Herdman added. “We want to support local art, local culture and local foods.”

A SHARED CULTURE OF SUPPORT

Breathe is rooted in connection, with customers and with fellow entrepreneurs, Herdman said. 

“You think, ‘it’s just a little wine shop,’ but it matters to people,” Herdman said. “Whenever they are involved in your roots and in your growth I think it’s even more important.”

Herdman also pointed to the strength of the local business community. 

“I think Huntington is a very welcoming environment,” Herdman said. “There seems to be a lot of support for women-owned businesses.”

“We are very much proud to be a women-owned, women-run,” she said. “Women can do big things.”

That support is especially visible during Women’s History Month, Herdman added.

“There are so many wonderful, amazing women surrounding us,” she said. “It’s just so supportive and not competitive. It’s such a wonderful feeling to feel welcomed and to feel part of that.”

LOOKING AHEAD: COMMUNITY GROWTH

Looking to the future, both Skeen and Herdman said their futures are deeply tied to the people they serve. 

“I just want everyone who would enjoy this place to know about us and to show up and join a book club,” Skeen said. “I want people to recognize the value of shopping small and supporting small businesses.”

At Breathe, that same mindset continues to guide the business.

“We have from the very beginning designed our business around what the community feedback has been,” Herdman said. “Our future is basically woven in with the downtown culture and with the people of downtown.”

To learn more about Booktenders visit https://booktenderswv.com/. To learn more about Breathe visit https://breathewinewv.com/. 

Interested in reading more features on women-owned businesses? Stay tuned for the Women’s Impact Network stories on your favorite women-led businesses!

For a full photo gallery from Breathe and Booktenders, click here!