Beloved Books

One Dollar, One Dream, & a Dash of Divine Timing

In Linden, Michigan—population small, charm off the charts—there’s a bookstore with the kind of back story you’d expect to see on the Hallmark Channel!

Meet Olivia Porter. As a seven-year-old, Olivia declared to her mom, “I’m going to own a bookstore one day!”

At that time, the bookstore she frequented resided within a historic grain mill in Argentine Township. In 2017, the bookstore moved to its present address, another historical building that used to be the town fire hall.

At 20 years old, Olivia is not just the owner of  Beloved Books, a local literary haven—she’s a walking, talking reminder that sometimes, when a dream (or let’s be honest, the Lord) taps you on the shoulder, you say yes... even if the offer seems almost too good to be true.

Once upon a time, not so long ago, Olivia was working at the Linden Library and spending most of her off-hours at the town’s beloved indie bookstore. So when she found out it was closing, her heart sank faster than a dropped e-reader in a bubble bath. But life has a funny way of turning the page.

Heather Iodoni, the bookstore’s owner and apparently Olivia’s fairy godmother, knew Olivia’s love of books ran deep. So she made a jaw-dropping offer: the entire shop—for one dollar. Yes, you read that right. One. Dollar. As in, less than a cup of coffee!

Now, most teenagers, rightfully so, might have panicked, questioned their life plan, or, you know, called dad. Olivia did all three. She’d originally planned to go to business school before launching her business—and her father, bless his pragmatic heart, was understandably skeptical. To complicate things, the building was in transition. A kayak rental business was moving out, and Bridge Street Brew-tique, a trendy new café-meets-boutique, was moving in. Coffee, pastries, shopping? Suddenly this bookstore was starting to look less like a risk... and more like destiny. Despite her quite understandable hesitation, she decided to follow the adage, leap… and the net will appear.

“I prayed over it,” Olivia said. “I’d always imagined working in a space that combined books and coffee, so this felt like everything aligning.” With her family’s support and divine affirmation, Olivia signed on the dotted line. Today,  Beloved Books  is everything the name promises: cozy, heartfelt, and brimming with stories—some bound in paper, others unfolding in real time.

Olivia has since learned a great deal about business from her father, and as of this July, has been operating the bookstore with the help of her siblings for two years. She runs the store with grace, grit, and the kind of passion you can’t fake. I mean, who wouldn’t want to buy a book from the youngest bookstore owner in Michigan?!

They say life doesn’t always follow the script—but sometimes, when you least expect it, your childhood dream walks right into a firehouse-turned-bookstore and hands you the keys.

This story reflects the power of passion and how dreams can become reality. During the conversation with Olivia, I mentioned always envisioning heaven as a bookstore with a coffee shop that welcomed dogs – and here it is, a bit of that heaven, right in my hometown!

Check her out on  FaceBook/belovedbookslinden to learn about book signings, story time or other cool events at Beloved Books!  To sign up for the book of the month and get a surprise in the mail every month call the store!

208 N Bridge St.

Linden, MI 48451

(810) 735-0977

Tues–Thurs: 10 AM–4 PM

Friday: 10 AM–4 PM

Saturday: 12 PM–4 PM

Sunday & Monday: Closed Same-day delivery available