Lindsey Romine wanted to open a shop on the Murfreesboro Square for as long as she can remember. She even designed the logo to represent her love of cats, books, and to create curiosity.
“I used to draw pictures of what I wanted the inside of my storefront to look like for my dad while he was on his job sites,” explained Romine. “As an avid book lover, I knew I wanted to open a bookstore, and having recently graduated from college and moved back to Murfreesboro, the timing was perfect. The Grand Exchange began!”
She chose to open The Grand Exchange in downtown Murfreesboro because it was where she had a lot of her “firsts.” She used to visit her dad’s office located downtown while she was growing up, her first job was at Domenico’s, her first boutique shopping experience was at Trendy Pieces, and her first pop-up shop for her art was at Boro Bowls.
“Downtown Murfreesboro was the only place on my list,” exclaimed Romine.
Before opening the shop, Romine spent a lot of time researching book titles to carry, plus she has taken requests and recommendations from her customers since opening.
The gifts she has curated are from local makers and artists, including Lily Belle Boutique, The Modern Iris, Safe and Sound Soap Co, and Candles by a Dad. She looked for ethical brands and businesses that make gifts perfect for a book lover — like teas, embroidery kits, watercolor books, and coffee.
“A majority of the gifts come from small business owners in the southeast region of the US,” explained Romine. “I specifically found Asheville Tea while visiting Asheville for my own vacation and loved how transparent they were about their processes and ingredients. Now, they are giving back a lot of their profits to help rebuild Asheville!”
Romine wants the shop to be a welcoming, community space where people can gather, find a good read, make a new friend, and find an outlet to relax.
“We have plans to hold markets and classes on top of our current book clubs, author signings, and event days — like the Gilmore Girls day event we did in October,” added Romine. “We transformed The Grand Exchange into Stars Hollow!”
Born and raised in Murfreesboro, Romine graduated from Oakland High School in 2020. She started a brand called Lindsey K and Co during COVID, selling her art and jewelry, among other things, which she eventually moved into the Painted Tree while she was in college at Mississippi State. After receiving her undergraduate degree from Mississippi State in 2023, she went to the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs to complete her Master’s degree. During that time, she expanded her business into more than 20 Painted Tree locations.
After graduating from the University of Colorado in 2024, she moved back to Murfreesboro and kept growing her Painted Tree spaces while looking for storefronts. Once she found the space she wanted, The Grand Exchange was born!
“The community has given us a great response, and we are eternally grateful,” added Romine. “We are just ecstatic to be a part of the downtown community, and genuinely appreciate everyone that has and will walk in our doors. We have loved meeting so many members of the downtown community, and are excited to continue to grow!”
The Grand Exchange is located at 21 South Public Square in Murfreesboro. Their hours are 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. To learn more, check out their Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thegrandexchangebookstore.
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