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If you wander down Charleston’s historic King Street, you’ll find yourself at the doors of Sweeter Than Fiction – a romance reader’s dream, dipped in pink and dusted with sparkles. Inside, the walls are lined with shelves full of swoon-worthy stories, the kind that make your heart race. Floral accents hang down from the ceiling, neon signs and disco balls wink from the corners, and the unmistakable sound of Taylor Swift’s Fearless mixes with the hum of lively conversations.
“We are a romance bookshop but, besides books, we sell all kinds of sidelines, gifts, bookmarks, stickers, magnets, clothing, tote bags, you name it,” says owner Callie Lamb, who opened Sweeter Than Fiction in 2025. “It’s a celebration of all things girlhood and things pop culture and things that just make people happy.”
Callie didn’t just want to sell books – she wanted to create a haven for the girly girls, a community where romance lovers could celebrate the genre together. To do that, everything about the space had to be intentional. That’s where Faire came in.
“The environment matters so much, and that’s what people will say when they walk in – that there’s just this wholesome, welcoming environment with this handcrafted, curated selection that you can’t find everywhere. That’s part of the reason why I love Faire.”
Turning the page on the nine-to-five job
Like any good book, the path to Sweeter Than Fiction had some twists and turns. For a decade, Callie climbed the ranks of corporate America, holding a senior executive position that, from the outside, looked like success. The corporate world had given her experience, structure and security – but it wasn’t bringing her joy.
“I didn’t really want to do that anymore. I wanted to do something that made me happy, and what could I do that combined all my hobbies?”
The answer was books. Romance books, to be specific.
She had spent a lifetime reading them, collecting them and falling in love with them. But beyond the pages, she had a passion for creating spaces – spaces where people felt welcomed. She realised she could bring all her loves together: literature, design and community. And that’s how Sweeter Than Fiction was born.
Keeping up with inventory plot twists
At Sweeter Than Fiction, books and merchandise don’t just line the shelves – they fly off them. Managing inventory in such a fast-paced shop requires efficiency, flexibility and an eye for what’s next. That’s where tools like Faire come in, streamlining the ordering process so the shop never misses a beat.
Callie quickly realised that traditional buying methods – travelling to physical markets, negotiating orders in person – didn’t fit the speed of her shop. She needed an online wholesale marketplace that could help her predict lead times and restock with precision. Faire allows retailers to browse an extensive selection of vendors without needing to travel to physical markets. This was particularly useful during Sweeter Than Fiction’s early stages, where renovation timelines made it difficult to commit to in-person buying trips.
“It was a great opportunity to see what was out there and eliminate the need to go to a physical market, because we never had a firm date on when we would open,” explained Callie. “It’s hard to invest the time to travel to a physical market, and all of a sudden, I’m sitting on inventory for months when my opening gets pushed back again.”
Because Sweeter Than Fiction operates at such a rapid pace, keeping track of inventory is a priority. Faire’s platform makes it easy to filter orders, track shipments and plan restocks without needing to manually sort through spreadsheets or coordinate with vendors one by one.
Rather than spending hours placing massive purchase orders, the ability to place quick, smaller orders between customers makes sure the shop never runs low on fan favourites. Suppliers now recognise the shop’s rhythm and even create custom items specifically tailored to Sweeter Than Fiction’s vision. The combination of trusted vendors, an intuitive ordering system and a strategic approach to inventory keeps the shop constantly evolving while remaining stocked with products its community craves.
“We’re an extremely high-volume shop, so I like the selection of vendors and the ease of ordering. Plus, I had a very clear vision for the types of items I wanted to stock and was very quickly able to find brands that aligned to it.”
And, since romance readers know what they love, Callie keeps an ear to the ground – whether it’s a viral TikTok recommendation or a rising indie author – and makes sure new must-have merch is always within reach.
Ultimately, Callie can focus less on logistics and more on curating a space where romance readers feel seen.
Creating a place for shelf-love
From the beginning, Sweeter Than Fiction was designed to be more than a bookshop – it was meant to be a gathering place. This is even obvious in the design. While many bookshops feature labyrinthine shelves stretching from wall to wall, her shop has wide, open spaces for people to hang out. Callie doesn’t want customers to shop and leave. She invites them to stay a while.
Over a short time, that vision of community became a reality, as author signings, book clubs and themed nights brought book lovers together and strangers turned into friends.
“It’s very different from any bookshop you’ll ever walk into. Traditionally, you walk into a bookshop and it’s kind of quiet. But we’re playing Taylor Swift. We’re having dance parties. It’s just a space that people like to be in.”
Beyond books, the shop actively invests in independent artists and brands found on Faire, featuring unique merchandise, like edgy stickers, playful cards, inspiring totes or beautifully illustrated bookmarks.
But what makes the shop truly special is the way it has become a place where people find their people. Customers don’t just browse – they connect.
“The shop is a community. It’s not just a bookshop. I have customers that come in when they’re having a bad day, and we are the happy place for them. I love that it’s become such a safe spot for so many people.”
With help from Faire, Callie created the very bookshop she had always wished existed. In doing so, she didn’t just rewrite the story of her own life but created a beloved new third place for her customers.
Are you ready to let Faire help you create your own community-shifting independent boutique? Sign up for Open With Faire today!
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