Murphys New Independent Bookstore: Books On Main

Kirsten Gomez had already been a regular Murphys visitor since early childhood, and then she and her husband decided to relocate here permanently with their children 8 years ago. A Santa Cruz native, Kirsten, has been an avid reader and bibliophile her entire life. So when the opportunity to take on an independent bookstore in Murphys came along, she was delighted to take on the challenge. With the sale of Sustenance Books, Kirsten ushered in a new era with her store: Books on Main.

Walking into the open and welcoming new interior with its big comfy chairs and fireplace, shelves of books and book-related items, will delight all bibliophiles with its home-away-from-home vibe. But to succeed in the 21^st century, it takes more than a fancy makeover to run a successful independent bookstore as Kirsten is well aware. Her vision for the future of this community hub includes regular author speaking engagements, a kids’ storytelling schedule and child reading incentives, fiction and non-fiction book clubs and poetry reading events. It’s a big list for a one-person operation, but Kirsten is making great strides already.

Despite only being open for a few months, Books on Main managed to snag local Pulitzer prize finalist, Tommy Orange, for an author book signing and reading in November last year. You can read about the event in this Calaveras Enterprise article. Kirsten has also launched their two book clubs with the first meetings taking place this month in-store. All spots are currently filled for those meetings, but don’t despair fellow book-lovers, because you can waitlist for the store club or join in online! Check out the Books On Main Facebook and Instagram pages for their current book club titles. Purchase them with a 20% discount from the store, pick up from the library or buy elsewhere, then read along with the club and answer the club questions on social media.

Kirsten is committed to adapting to the market, staying up on the research on books and the publishing industry, paying attention to community needs and encouraging the acquisition of knowledge through reading. On top of all that dedication, she’s perfectly suited to her new role, happily digging up hard to find titles for passionate consumers, making recommendations for new reads and hearing about your favorite reads too.