Cari Brown is living proof of the old adage, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

Brown, a longtime book lover, spent several fruitless months searching for an online group of “bookish babes” like herself – a local sanctuary where readers could discuss and recommend books without judgment.

“I hadn’t found a truly safe space where people could read whatever they wanted to read and not be judged about it,” she said. “So I decided to create my own.”

That’s how “Book Baddies of Colorado Springs, Fountain and surrounding areas” was born in 2023.

Originally a Facebook group with a handful of members, the Baddies quickly caught fire, drawing members from across southern Colorado. As word spread, and the group grew, Brown began to feel a little overwhelmed.

“Within a week we got to about 100 members and I thought, ‘I’m going to need some help with this,’” she said.

Cheyenne Ellis, whom Brown had previously met in a larger online book-talk group, immediately volunteered to help with administrative duties. Before long, however, the group had exploded to 1,000 members. The admin team needed at least one more Baddie.

“When I first moved here, I didn’t know anybody and I became very lonely,” said Nicole Henrikson. “I was looking for a community where I could read with people, and talk about what I love to read, so I posted on my neighborhood Facebook page about it. That’s how Cari found me.”

“We loved her immediately,” Brown said. “And when we needed another administrator, she didn’t hesitate.”

The group, whose numbers have swelled to more than 3,000, is composed mostly of “romantasy” readers (though all book lovers, regardless of favorite genre, are welcome). With the exception of religion and politics, no topic is off-limits, which results in quite a few “not safe for work” discussions, Brown said.

“The talk can get a little spicy,” Brown admits. “But that’s the beauty of the group. You’re not going to be shamed for what you read, no matter what it is.”

As the group continued to grow, so did the demand for Book Baddies merchandise – T-shirts, bookmarks and other items – which Brown made at her home. When she set up a vendor booth at the annual Springs Book Bash, she was surprised at how popular her merch was.

“People were like, ‘This stuff is amazing,’” Brown said. “That’s when I decided to open a store.”

That decision was helped by the fact that her merchandise was beginning to overrun her home.

“We had boxes all over the house, and I was tripping over stuff,” she said, laughing. “My husband finally said, ‘I love you, and I support whatever you do, but we’ve got to get this stuff out of the house.’”

Last October, with the aid of a few Baddies, Brown opened Star Creations by Cari – A Book Baddies Company. Located at 103 S. Main St. in Fountain, Star Creations offers a few book selections, but it is more of a boutique shop for book lovers.

Much like the Facebook group, the shop requires patrons to leave their judgment and hangups at the door. A portion of the inventory could be categorized as “adult-themed.”

“Book Baddies is a spicy group,” Brown said. “So it makes sense that this would be a spicy store.”

On Jan. 31, the store was honored by the Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re so happy that Star Creations is in our community,” said Traci Kinnischtzke, the Chamber’s vice president.

“Opening a business takes a lot of courage, hard work and support from the community. You aren’t just renting a space; you are creating a destination for our residents and adding to the unique character of Fountain Valley.”

Brown could barely contain her emotions as she thanked the sisterhood that has supported the group’s progression from an idea, to a Facebook page, to a brick-and-mortar shop.

“I feel like Book Baddies has a heartbeat,” she said. “I don’t know if that makes any sense to anybody. But it’s become a living organism of its own, and we love it. We can’t wait to see where it goes.”