Why I Paused The Shop (A Plot Twist Even I Didn’t See Coming)

If you’ve been around The Recap Vault for a little while, you probably know I’ve been quietly juggling blogging, reading, Pinterest, and also… a shop.
Yes — an actual shop. With products. And shipping zones. And taxes.
We’ll get to that part later. 🫠

Somewhere in the middle of all of that, I had a realization:
I was slowly turning my cozy little book corner into a mall kiosk.
And nothing kills my reading vibe faster than feeling like a mall employee.

So, I paused the shop. Temporarily. Intentionally. Dramatically.
(But with far fewer tears than one might expect.)

Let me explain.

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This Whole Blog Started for One Reason: Books.

I didn’t start The Recap Vault to become the CEO of “Merch & Peril.”
I started it because I love:

• Talking about books
• Recapping books
• Dramatically reacting to books
• Forgetting what happened in books
• And needing somewhere to write it all down so I don’t spend the entire sequel confused

The Recap Vault was always meant to be a cozy reading corner — not a storefront.

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Then the Shop Entered the Chat…

In the beginning, adding a shop seemed cute. Harmless. A fun little extension of my brand.
Like, “Here’s a hoodie in case you want to join my reading cult in style.”

But slowly, it became:

• “Do I have to update this theme again?”
• “What the heck is a shipping profile?”
• “Why did my entire shop break while I was minding my business?”
• “What do you MEAN the state wants tax numbers for my imaginary customers?!”
• “Why am I stressed about a shop when I haven’t even pinned today?”

It stopped being a fun add-on and turned into the main character — which it was never meant to be.

I didn’t sign up to be a full-time shop manager.
I signed up to read books and scream about plot twists.

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The Honest Truth: I Want Community More Than Sales

Listen… if I could choose between:

• a thriving, engaged community of readers
  or
• selling 3 mugs to people who think my Shop page is cute

I’m choosing the community every. single. time.

I want comments.
I want conversations about endings we hated.
I want someone to message me like:
“ABBY I JUST FINISHED STILLHOUSE LAKE AND WHY DID YOU NOT WARN ME—”

That’s why I’m here.
Not to run a merch empire.
Not to calculate sales tax.
Not to wrestle WooCommerce at 3 PM every day like it’s my part-time job.

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Pausing the Shop Brings Me Back to What Actually Matters

So, for now, I’m giving the shop a nap. A hibernation. A long winter’s rest.

This lets me:

• focus on growing an actual audience
• post consistently
• make the pins Pinterest actually wants from me
• write more recaps
• share more life updates
• build the community I’ve always wanted
• and stop worrying that the state I live in is going to send me a strongly worded letter

It’s quieting the noise so I can actually hear myself think — and hopefully write.

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Will the Shop Return?

Yes.
But not until the community exists first.
Not until it feels right.
Not until I’m not operating at “fight or flight” every time WooCommerce updates something without asking me.

Someday, when The Recap Vault feels a little fuller and a little cozier, the shop will reopen.
With better timing, better energy, and maybe even a mug that doesn’t traumatize me to list.

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For Now… I’m Exactly Where I Need To Be

If you’re reading this, thank you.
Truly.
It means so much to me that you’re here in this chapter — especially as I figure out how to build the version of The Recap Vault that actually feels like home.

The shop isn’t gone forever.
It’s just quietly sitting on the shelf, waiting for its plot twist moment.

But this chapter?
This one’s about community, stories, connection, and the cozy reading nook I’ve been dreaming of creating since day one.

Thanks for being here. 🤎✨
More book chaos to follow.