For 17 years, Melony Vance learned the bookselling trade up and down
the West Coast at some wonderful bookstores. She has worked for Chuck
and Dee Robinson at Village Books in Bellingham, Wash.; at Latitude 33
in Laguna Beach, Calif.; at Bloomsbury in Ashland, Ore.; at Local Hero
in Ojai, Calif.; at the University of Oregon bookstore in Eugene; at
Lido Village Books in Newport Beach, Calif. She was also an
administrative assistant for Thom Chambliss at the Pacific Northwest
Booksellers Association; and two years ago, with Irma Wolfson, she
opened the Reading Room at the Mandalay Place in Las Vegas, Nev.
Throughout this period, Vance always worked for others. Then, six months ago, she did something she had wanted to do since she was 14: she opened her own bookstore, Books in Nooks.
Part of the delay was because "I had to raise a daughter and have a real job," she told Shelf Awareness. The decision to open was also made easier by her family's offer of space in a building in Julian, Calif., a former mining town in the mountains about an hour and a half drive east of San Diego. She decided to set up the store in January and spent a hurried two months setting it up "from scratch." (These days Vance is slowing down slightly. She works six days a week. On the seventh, she rests and has an employee who fills in for the day.)
Books in Nooks offers nearly 4,000 books in 850 square feet in a 100-year-old house with lots of rooms (hence its name) and "an awesome redwood deck under two big oak trees." (Vance holds some authors' events and reading group meetings on the deck.) She gathered "bits and pieces" of fixtures, some from an old Crown Books store, all of which work because they're in an old house. The store has a "cute children's room" with an antique table and chairs. Besides children's titles, Books in Nooks carries a range of titles, excluding, in general, sports and art books, the latter because "they're big and expensive," Vance said. Julian, she explained, is "artsy but not affluent."
The rural area has a population of about 3,000; Books in Nooks is the only bookstore with new books. "I'm really happy with the store, and the community seems to be happy with it," she said. Still, some residents continue habits created when there was no new bookstore in town, using Amazon or going to a Borders that is about an hour away. Vance is increasing her involvement in the community and was recently elected treasurer of the Julian Merchants Association. Last week, she and the local library did a joint event that featured Victor Villaseñor. She will also look at cooperating with schools, and she's working on sending out an e-mail newsletter. (As for a Web site, she said, "We're not there yet.")
Apple growing is a major business in the area and attracts many people who in the fall, pick apples and buy cider and apple pie. Julian merchants are trying to make the town into "a year-round resort town" with gift stores and bed and breakfasts. While she's supportive, Vance said, "My aim is to market to locals. Tourists would be frosting."
Books in Nooks is located at 4336 Highway 78, Julian, Calif. 92036; 760-765-2852.
Throughout this period, Vance always worked for others. Then, six months ago, she did something she had wanted to do since she was 14: she opened her own bookstore, Books in Nooks.
Part of the delay was because "I had to raise a daughter and have a real job," she told Shelf Awareness. The decision to open was also made easier by her family's offer of space in a building in Julian, Calif., a former mining town in the mountains about an hour and a half drive east of San Diego. She decided to set up the store in January and spent a hurried two months setting it up "from scratch." (These days Vance is slowing down slightly. She works six days a week. On the seventh, she rests and has an employee who fills in for the day.)
Books in Nooks offers nearly 4,000 books in 850 square feet in a 100-year-old house with lots of rooms (hence its name) and "an awesome redwood deck under two big oak trees." (Vance holds some authors' events and reading group meetings on the deck.) She gathered "bits and pieces" of fixtures, some from an old Crown Books store, all of which work because they're in an old house. The store has a "cute children's room" with an antique table and chairs. Besides children's titles, Books in Nooks carries a range of titles, excluding, in general, sports and art books, the latter because "they're big and expensive," Vance said. Julian, she explained, is "artsy but not affluent."
The rural area has a population of about 3,000; Books in Nooks is the only bookstore with new books. "I'm really happy with the store, and the community seems to be happy with it," she said. Still, some residents continue habits created when there was no new bookstore in town, using Amazon or going to a Borders that is about an hour away. Vance is increasing her involvement in the community and was recently elected treasurer of the Julian Merchants Association. Last week, she and the local library did a joint event that featured Victor Villaseñor. She will also look at cooperating with schools, and she's working on sending out an e-mail newsletter. (As for a Web site, she said, "We're not there yet.")
Apple growing is a major business in the area and attracts many people who in the fall, pick apples and buy cider and apple pie. Julian merchants are trying to make the town into "a year-round resort town" with gift stores and bed and breakfasts. While she's supportive, Vance said, "My aim is to market to locals. Tourists would be frosting."
Books in Nooks is located at 4336 Highway 78, Julian, Calif. 92036; 760-765-2852.