We recently connected with Jenny Kelley and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenny, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I want people to remember me, whether they’re strangers or my kids when they’re older, as the girl who went for her dreams and never looked back. Even though I started with very little, I worked hard every day to chase after everything I wanted in life, no matter how big it seemed. I hope to show young women that they can succeed in business too. You can break the patterns of the past and be the first in your family to achieve things that nobody else has. I also want to be remembered as someone who loved deeply and cared for everyone just as much as I cared for myself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hey there, I’m Jenny Kelley, the founder of Bookish Boutique, a cozy bookstore in downtown Panama City that opened in January 2024. Our goal has always been to create a special spot for book lovers like us. What makes us different from others is the unique vibe we’ve built. Whether it’s our friendly staff, the cozy feel of our store, or the fun events we host every weekend, it all adds up to what makes our bookstore special. When you walk in you can expect to see original Chipley brick throughout the building along with pink decor throughout. On top of the pops of pink you can find our statement piece which is our handcrafted 8ft book arch made out of real books. As you walk throughout you will find our collection of new book inventory which typically holds several indie authors. Next up is our affordable used book selection full of hidden gems just waiting to be found on the shelves. You can also browse our gift section of all things bookish which includes apparel and all sorts of reading and book themed accessories.

Can you talk to us about your experience with selling businesses?

Prior to opening my bookstore, I sold part of my apparel printing company. This was a hard decision to make but I knew it was the right one as this company was a legit “machine” to run. I printed for boutiques all over the United States and at the time I sold it we had a total of over 7,000 boutique owners we printed graphic t shirts for that they then resold at their business. This was the foundation of my company, and it taught me a lot owning and running it, but I think as it grew, I grew too as a person. Once I got over the sadness of this transition of the sale, I knew that it was the platform that molded me to be able to own more businesses. It built the confidence I needed as well as strenthged my business plan that I had for a bookstore I once wanted to own. Shortly after that is when I realized that I really was ready to take on a new business which is where the bookstore blossomed from.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I am actually asked a lot of how I funded my business and even though there may be many resources out there I knew I did not want to get into debit when opening a business as I had already done that before. I took the sale of my printing company in addition to setting money aside from my own personal investment to fund my bookstore. I think the key to this is coming up with a strict budget and really sticking to it. Often, I feel like the excitement of opening a business takes over and you can lose track of how much you have spent. Saving my own money to open the bookstore has truly set me up for success as it is less overhead cost, I have going into this new journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bookishboutiquellc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookishboutiquellc/
• Facebook: https://www.secure.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554472483170

Image Credits

Jenny Kelley
Ashley Morse with Ashley Morse Commerical