Michelle Pierce, who purchased Lido Village Books in Newport Beach, Calif., in 2020, opened her second store, Malibu Village Books, at 3822 Cross Creek Road #23359, earlier this year, the Malibu Times reported, noting that the new bookstore sits right beside Malibu Lagoon.
"We're a little out of the way, but once you turn the corner, it just felt so quiet and intimate down here, which I think is so important for a bookstore," said Pierce. "People will see our sign from the roadway, and we had quite a few people who would turn around to come see us.... It's been really fun to open up my own, and design all these bookshelves. So all these bookshelves, space, [and] the design was something that I got to do, which was really lovely."
When she returned to California four years ago, Pierce was looking for bookstores to buy. After launching Lido Village Books three years ago, she was encouraged by a visitor to that bookshop to consider opening a store in Malibu.
"They gave me a call and said, 'Hey, Malibu really needs a bookstore, we don't have anything like this, we love what you do out here--we love the essence of it--would you be interested,' " Pierce said, adding that after seeing the location she knew she had to open a store there.
"Every wall and corner of this small, yet spacious, bookstore has books filled from top to bottom. From fiction to young adult to children's books and more, Malibu Village Books offers a variety of book options for everyone in the family and friend group," the Malibu Times wrote.
Although Malibu Village Books officially opened in February, it wasn't until early March that the store started settling in with the community. "It's been fun connecting with different people. We call it like a general bookstore--we carry children's books, nonfiction, fiction, design, and more," Pierce said. "It's been fun to dive into the community and see what it is they like and want. I curate every book in here and sort of hand-pick every book, but it's also fun to hear what the community wants and find those books and bring them in."
She added: "I feel honored; it's kind of surreal, I always thought I had a bookstore. I never thought I'd have two bookstores--I feel very honored and very joyous. The drive is long because I go back and forth between Newport and Malibu, but the moment I get past Santa Monica, there's a moment of peace of having the ocean right there, it just feels so peaceful and lovely."