New independent bookstore coming to Bethesda this fall

State of play: Amy Joyce, the Post's former On Parenting writer and editor who took a buyout earlier this year, and Gayle Weiswasser, who runs a blog and podcast about books, are the duo behind the forthcoming Wonderland Books.

• Both longtime readers, the women met at a book club several years ago and decided to join forces to open a store of their own.

What they're saying: "It's kind of shocking to us as big book readers that there hasn't been a bookstore [in Bethesda] for so long, and the community is saying the same thing," says Joyce.

• The pair want Wonderland Books to be a local gathering area, as well as a safe space for education and discussion amid an era of book banning.
• "Community bookstores and independent bookstores play a very important role in a democracy," says Weiswasser, a former lawyer and corporate communications executive. "And as our democracy is being threatened in many ways, we want to be one of the institutions that helps to protect it."

Zoom in: The 2,000-square-foot space will have a mix of adult and children's literature, with an emphasis on fiction and bookseller recs, the duo tells Axios.

• It'll have seating and Wi-Fi, as well as a children's section with a kiddo-sized hidey-hole.
• Expect monthly events like author talks, readings, and storytime for kids, as well as gifts and cards for sale.

Plus: It's dog-friendly.

The bottom line: Wonderland Books is set to open in October at 7920 Norfolk Ave. in Bethesda.