It’s true love when an Orlando woman opens a romance bookstore
It’s true love when an Orlando woman opens a romance bookstore
“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.
When Jane Rodriguez was conceptualizing her romance-only bookstore — the first of its kind in Orlando — she took inspiration from another thing she loves.
“The name of the New Romantics was inspired, actually, by a Taylor Swift song,” said Rodriguez. “It’s called ‘New Romantics.’ And I think that I was literally just listening to it one day, and I was like, ‘Wait a minute, this would be a really cool name for a romance-only bookstore.'”
Rodriguez and The New Romantics became a part of a national trend in entrepreneurship. From 2007 until 2022, the growth of Latino-owned businesses outpaced the growth of white-owned businesses, according to a survey from the Stanford Graduate School of Business released earlier this year. Yet the same survey also found that Latina-owned businesses had a harder time finding financing, echoing Rodriguez’s experience.
“I was applying for loans and no one was really giving me any attention,” Rodriguez said. “It got to the point where I decided to take loans out from family members. And I was grateful that they were willing to help contribute and make the dream come true. And they were there with me holding the ribbon at our ribbon-cutting ceremony.”
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