WOODSTOCK — Curling up by the fireside with a good book, a blanket and a steaming cup of hot tea sounds like the perfect winter pastime. And with Christmas right around the corner, what better gift than one that captures that same cozy feeling?

“We’ve been open for five months now, and it’s been really amazing,” said Bonfire Bookstore & Yarnery owner Kara Balcerzak. “It’s exceeded my expectations — how many people come to the store and share how glad that I’m here.”

The independent bookstore, which opened on June 6, has been thriving thanks to Balcerzak’s passion for community engagement.

“I never expected this,” she said, adding that while Woodstock is a small community, there were skeptics who thought she wouldn’t succeed without holding a packed-schedule of events.

The bookstore doe

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