Richmond’s newest bookstore is a message of love for the community — literally. ILYSM (I Love You So Much) Books — a Filipina and LGBTQ+ owned business — opened its doors at 119 W. Brookland Park Blvd., conveniently across from the neighborhood's go-to ice cream spot, Ruby Scoops. Sounds like a perfect date to us.

The cherry on top? ILYSM opened over Valentine's Day weekend; noticing the “love” theme here?

The atmosphere of ILYSM

Wondering what to expect when you visit Richmond's latest public love letter? Here are a few things that are bound to catch your eye:

Spot the shop’s name scrawled over the entrance in a font that resembles a hand-written note.
A windowed facade showcases “new and used books” in red and white lettering.
Inside, white and exposed brick walls pattern with wooden shelving.
Potted plants add touches of nature throughout the one-room shop.
You can shop from rotating merchandise like ILYSM tshirts and totes displayed near the window.
You can pick from a selection of staff-curated books on the central display table.
Red accents can be found everywhere (in the spirit of love, of course).

The history

Run by 27-year-old Mariela Gavino, the opening of Brookland Park’s newest business is a labor of love in itself. You may have already crossed paths with her at a local holiday or vintage market — ILYSM first launched as a pop-up vendor in 2023.

Gavino hauled dozens of books to various Richmond parks and storefronts, sending locals home with their next reads. Now, she cozies up in her very own brick-and-mortar — a celebration of her hard work and community contributions (which won’t stop here).

Amidst a collection of new and used books, ILYSM uplifts reads that reflect on community, culture, identity, representation, etc. | Emma Gould @aurelegould

What to expect next

Aside from establishing ILYSM as a successful small business, Gavino aspires for the spot to feel like a haven for locals and eventually, become a venue for community events, like poetry readings. In other words, ILYSM plans to do exactly what the store's name implies — share the love. (CBS 6)