“A town isn’t a town
without a bookstore.” 
Neil Gaiman

The Town of Los Gatos, California may once again legitimately call itself, by Neil Gaiman’s definition, a town. After years of small, independent bookstores in Los Gatos closing, succumbing to the popularity and convenience of giant online booksellers, the doors have opened to a new, locally-owned, independent bookstore in the charming downtown area. Beyond Text Bookstore celebrates its grand opening today from 10 AM to 6 PM.  

I spoke with Tanya, the owner, yesterday. To say that she is excited about today’s event would be an understatement. For Tanya, opening a brick and mortar bookstore is a dream come true. Real books in a real bookstore for real readers to peruse, and hopefully purchase. The store is small, but the selection is impressive. Of course, I might be a bit biased. My newest book, Through the Lens of Gratitude, is one of the many books available at Beyond Text.

I am quite pleased with the placement of my book in the store. Through the Lens… shares a shelf with James Clear’s New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits. And it sits on the shelf directly above another New York Times bestseller, How to Know a Person, by David Brooks. Copies of both of these books have been in the “to be read” collection on my home office desk for quite some time. I have no illusions that my book will become a New York Times bestseller, but it’s nice to know that I’m in good company at Beyond Text Bookstore.

How important is a local bookstore? British author, David Almond, wrote, “A good bookshop is not just about selling books from shelves, but reaching out into the world and making a difference.” This is precisely what Tanya hopes to accomplish through her new venture at Beyond Text.

Robert Frost once said, “The first thing I do in any town I come to is ask if it has a bookstore.” The legendary poet would be pleased to know that, once again, the answer in Los Gatos is “Yes!”

Beyond Text Bookstore is located at 318 N. Santa Cruz Avenue in downtown Los Gatos. The business is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 AM to 6 PM, and closed on Mondays. If you live in the South Bay, or if you’ll be visiting the Santa Clara Valley in the near future, I invite and encourage you to visit downtown Los Gatos. Stop by the bookstore, say hello to Tanya, peruse the selection of books, then enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner at one of the many local eateries. The Town of Los Gatos has one of the most appealing downtowns in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. And now, once again, it has a bookstore!