Bookish, a new and used bookstore with a general-interest inventory, has opened in Modesto, Calif., the Modesto Bee reported.
Store owners Paula Treick Deboard and Will DeBoard carry titles for all ages. There is an emphasis on local authors, and the broader selection includes a variety of fiction and nonfiction genres. There is a "Little Bookish" children's area, complete with activity tables, and alongside books customers can find artwork and merchandise made by craftspeople and artisans in California's Central Valley. In addition, the DeBoards have a coffee cart featuring hot beverages and snack items.
The DeBoards celebrated the store's grand opening on Thursday morning with a ribbon-cutting that included a visit from Modesto mayor Sue Zwahlen. Festivities continued on Friday and Saturday, with a visit from a local musician and prize drawings.
The owners' event plans include author readings, book club meetings, live music, art workshops, and more. On April 11, the store will start accepting customers' used books in exchange for store credit.
The DeBoards were inspired to open an independent bookstore of their own after Modesto indie Yesterday's Books closed in 2022. They knew Modesto needed a bookstore, and eventually they decided they would be the ones to do it. The married couple ran a crowdfunding campaign to help them launch the bookstore, and now the names of those who donated are incorporated in designs in the children's area.