Jocelyne Tuszynski has owned Flourish Books & Plants for five years after first opening the shop as a mobile bookstore with her sister during the pandemic. Three years later, Jocelyne opened a brick-and-mortar store, becoming the first bookstore in the New Buffalo, Mich., area since the ’90s. Having been raised in this charming town along the shores of Lake Michigan, she knows all the best spots to check out while you’re in town.
Q: What led you to opening Flourish Books & Plants first as a mobile bookstore and then as a brick-and-mortar store?
A: During the pandemic, my job as a barista was deemed ‘non-essential’, so the coffeeshop I was managing closed. My sister’s business, a yacht management company, was also unable to open that year, and we decided to open a mobile bookstore (during a worldwide pandemic?!). My sister and her husband traveled up the coast on their boat and she noticed that every beach town has a bookstore—and New Buffalo hasn’t had one since the ’90s! Farmer’s markets had come back in full force (outdoors, no masks required) and we figured we could work, bring in income, share our love of books, AND bring a small business to our hometown. Going brick and mortar was always the goal (less sunburn, more books!), which I did in November of 2023.
Q: What do you love most about running a bookshop in New Buffalo?
A: Every single day is NEW—new customers, new books, new stories, new connections. Everyone says how much “this town needed a place like this” and I couldn’t agree more! It is so much more than just selling books; it’s a community.
Q: Any insider tips on traveling to the New Buffalo area?
If you can make a dinner reservation, do it! The population of New Buffalo quadruples in the summer months, and the traffic can be a bear.
Q: What’s a hidden gem that most tourists overlook?
The many art galleries! There really are SO many talented artists in New Buffalo, and so many small businesses that highlight our area’s artists.
Q: Describe your perfect day off in the New Buffalo area.
A latte from David’s, quiet time on the water (Galien River, Municipal Marina, Turtle Creek Preserve), and if I didn’t own it, time at Flourish Books & Plants!
Q: What’s a local saying or inside joke travelers should know?
‘Don’t try to turn left’. In the summer, it is quite literally impossible to turn left at an intersection without a turn light. Don’t even try it! I have driven miles out of the way just to avoid left turns.
Q: What’s one underrated area travelers should explore?
Warren Woods State Park on Elm Valley Road
Q: What’s something travelers often misunderstand or overlook about the New Buffalo Area?
A: New Buffalo IS in Michigan (even though we touch the Indiana border). Michigan time IS Eastern Time (which differs from Chicago time)!
Q: Who is your favorite local author or literary figure?
A: I think my favorite authors are the local ones! There are quite a few authors in our area, and we have a whole shelf dedicated to them:
- Marcy Blesy, who writes fantastic cozy mysteries, general fiction, and tween reads
- NYT Bestselling author Angeline Boulley, who pops in often and gives book talks about her Young Adult works
- M.A.B. Wyman, who has released the first of his multi-book high fantasy series, as well as poetry
And SO MANY OTHERS. Mitch Albom, Viola Shipman, Jim Harrison, Erin Bartels—the list goes on!
Q: Are there any books (fiction or non-fiction) that represent the New Buffalo area well (or Southwest Michigan overall)?
A: “Images of Harbor Country” by Robert & RoseAnna Mueller dives into the history of Harbor Country (New Buffalo and surrounding towns) during the 19th and 20th centuries. Called ‘the Hamptons of the Midwest’, New Buffalo has been a getaway for vacationers since the beginning of time. It’s quite interesting.
Q: Are there any bookish events (readings, festivals, etc.) travelers should know about?
A: Flourish hosts Book Talks & Signings with local authors multiple times per month—there is an Events page on our website, as well as on our social media. All events are first come first served, and open to the public
Q: Where do writers or readers in the New Buffalo area like to hang out?
A: Flourish! The bookshop is located inside of an old truckstop/diner, so many authors come to write! The vinyl booths, with views of our bookstacks, shelves, and cozy nooks, offer a perfect place to work.
Q: If a book lover had just one day in New Buffalo, what should they do?
A: Visit the New Buffalo Township Library! It has been renovated and rebuilt since I was a child, but it is lovely. It’s not so haunted now (as I thought when I was little), but the staff is friendly and the books are plentiful.
Q: If New Buffalo were a genre or character, what would it be?
A: Oh, definitely a Cozy Mystery based in a small town with one grocery store, one bookshop, one funeral home—and sometimes scandalous, where the locals know all the gossip!
Q: Best place to spend a lazy afternoon with a book?
A: Any of the Chikaming Open Lands preserves, the public beach, New Buffalo Township park!
Quick Hits
- Favorite book set in or based on the New Buffalo area: Valerie Burns has a cozy culinary mystery series set in ‘New Bison’, and Marcy Blesy’s “Life’s Secrets” series is set in a ‘small beach town an hour from Chicago’ and up to St. Joseph. And films— OBVIOUSLY the legendary “Prancer” with Sam Elliot and Cloris Leachman, which was filmed seven miles east in Three Oaks!
- Best time of year to visit New Buffalo: October! Harvest Festival, apple season, reading by the window at Flourish, the many pumpkin patches and wineries in the area. The air seems to smell like cider everyday.
- Favorite local restaurant: Timothy’s in Union Pier (3 mi from New Buffalo) & Bentwood Tavern inside the Marina Grand Hotel
- Favorite local bakery: Black Currant Bakehouse in Union Pier
- Favorite local coffee shop: Oh gosh…Issa Vibe for unique flavors, David’s for traditional
- Describe New Buffalo in one word: Picturesque
- Favorite museum or activity: There are historical markers all around New Buffalo—it’s an old city with a lot of history! Check out the New Buffalo Railroad Museum, the Welcome Center (the first ever!), and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi ‘Avoiding Removal’ marker.
- Favorite local charity: Harbor Country Mission and their devotion to providing those in need with essentials and resources through their thrift stores, Outreach programs, and acceptance of everyone, in every situation.
Follow Flourish Books & Plants on Instagram at flourish.books.plants.