The Folded Leaf relocates to Traverse City to expand community events

Owner Rachel Zemanek moved the independent bookstore The Folded Leaf from Cedar to the Commongrounds Cooperative building on Eighth Street in Traverse City after space limits in the old shop made concerts and other live events difficult to sustain.

Zemanek, 34, opened The Folded Leaf in downtown Cedar in late April 2025 after signing the lease in early March. The shop started in a former art gallery at 9044 S. Kasson St. and quickly built a following with new books, used books and community-donated titles. It also became known for Wednesday and Saturday events, book clubs and concerts, with Zemanek describing it as a Leelanau County “snuggery” and “third space.”

The move to 414 E. Eighth St. puts the business inside a four-story mixed-use building designed to bring together wellness, art, family and food. Commongrounds includes nonprofit, business and residential tenants, with The Alluvion performance venue upstairs and Colibri Wine Bar now operating in the same building.

For Zemanek, the relocation is a response to economics as much as event programming. She said the Cedar space made it hard to keep hosting the kinds of gatherings that defined the store, so the business chose a setting where community events can be central. Customers have told her they are sorry to see the Cedar shop go, but glad to have the bookstore in Traverse City, and she has not ruled out returning to Cedar someday.

July and August programming includes Books by the Glass, Second Breakfast Book Club and Stairytime for children.

Zemanek's path into bookselling began after a severe back injury ended her work as a paramedic and pushed her toward a business she had not planned to open until much later in life. The bookstore won a Best Small Business Award from the Michigan Small Business Development Center, and Zemanek was named to Traverse City Business News’ 40Under40 list.