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Artifact Books, the new, used and rare bookstore in Encinitas, Calif., formerly known as Book Tales, held a grand reopening celebration on Saturday with sales and giveaways, refreshments and appetizers from Eve restaurant, and a reading by author Richard Lange, the Coast News reported.
Owner Greg Mollin told the newspaper: "I'm a lifetime bibliophile and also a fiction writer and owning a bookstore has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I actually had a little trouble learning to read in the beginning. Once I did learn, I remember feeling like the whole world had opened up for me. I read everything I could get my hands on and have never stopped."
Mollin said he's been a private book collector and seller while working as a graphic designer in the sign business. About five years ago, he started researching opening a bookstore or taking over an existing one, and was attracted to Book Tales because of its "location and the lineage."
"You rarely find one with such incredible exposure and history," he explained. "There are some great stores, but the lack of exposure and foot traffic made them a lot less appealing. The fact that this location has existed as nothing other than a bookstore for something like 50 years is really incredible." The third owner of the bookstore, he bought it from Patricia McFarland, owner for the past 18 years.
Mollin aims to try to bring in more interesting titles and collectible books. "While I'll always carry an abundance of popular paperback fiction and bestselling titles, I'm also seeking out a lot of classics and rare stuff for a more eclectic selection," he said. "I get a kick out of curating the collection and handselling books to folks that might be off of their reading radar." He also plans to host a regular schedule of events such as author signings, local writers groups and readings.