Haven for book lovers opens in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz couple provides haven for book lovers across the city
A Santa Cruz couple is killing two birds with one book.
Gary Butler and Denise Silva are not only fighting the pandemic which has shut down many small businesses during the last nine months, but they are also trying to mitigate the disappearance of local bookstores. They are doing so by opening their own bookstore, Two Birds Books.
“Mostly we just have a lot of trust in our community and we’re crossing our fingers,” Silva said. “We knew this is something we’ve wanted to do, and we’ve been gearing up for the last year. We saw an opportunity to open up in October and we thought we should just try.”
In an era where shopping is done online and reading is mainly done on a 6- inch screen, a physical bookstore fits the bill for a city such as Santa Cruz. A short walk around town makes it apparent the community puts an emphasis on physical purchases and personal service, almost as if the spirit of Santa Cruz represents simpler times with record stores still standing and parking meters remaining coin- operated.
However, the community has had something missing. Local bookstores have been closing in the last decade, likely the result of the emergence of digital media. Butler and Silva aren’t intimidated by that and have perched their store on Pleasure Point to fill that book- shaped hole.
“Santa Cruz used to have a large number of bookstores,” Butler said. “They’re really happy that one has come back. Denise and I are really excited to be doing this. We’re really excited to have a space for people to come and read.”
Recent trends have shown a resurgence in print media. Print book sales have increased by 6.4% from 2019 as of Oct. 3, according to NPD, a data marketing company parented by the Nielsen Co.
T he biggest change in print book sales was among young consumers. Young adult genres saw the largest increase of book sales, with nonfiction sales increasing by 660 books sold to 2,470, a 36.5% uptick from 2019’s total of 1,810. Fiction sales increased by 2,637 books sold to 16,848, which is up 18.6% from 14,211 in 2019 according to NPD.
“We’re seeing the same thing,” Butler said. “We’ve talked to a lot of parents and it’s really amazing the amount of kids that are reading print books.”
While a majority of these sales come from online retailers such as Amazon, Butler and Silva believe they offer something that online bookstores don’t.
“Definitely a sense of curation,” Silva said. “We’re starting to learn the specific styles of this reading community.”
Two Birds Books has made itself a home for books both young and old. While the store carries new editions of books, it also sells used books to be rehomed to other readers. This expands the selection of literature the store offers and drives home the idea of curation Silva mentioned.
Customers have the option to trade in old books for store credit, Butler said. The store also accepts book donations if other curators do not desire store credit in return.
However, the two bibliophiles believe it’s not just the selection of books that makes the store standout Two Birds Books presents itself as a haven for book lovers. To them, it’s a place where readers can discuss their favorite books and have a hands- on experience.
“I think people are eager to be in a place and see other people and not have more than just the point and click experience of an online purchase,” Butler said. “I’m getting the sense here that people do like physical books and they do see the value of them. One thing that’s really showing itself is that people like bookstores.”
Butler and Silva hosted a soft opening for family and friends last week, but plan to have a more official opening Friday. Rather than an extravagant grand opening, the couple will have more of what they call a “cozy opening” to stay more compliant with COVID-19 restrictions.
“I’ve wanted to run a bookstore ever since I was a kid,” Butler said in a press release. “Now I get to meet book lovers all day and introduce them to my favorite books and authors. How great is that?”
Two Birds Books address is 881 41st Ave., and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.