My North Santa Cruz Avenue business, Beyond Text Bookstore, has now been open for over six months.
That’s six months the place has been filled with real people—not just my dreams and hopes.
Upon reflection, I wanted to share a little about what I didn’t know before stepping into this adventure:
Books Connect Us All One of the most surprising joys of running a bookstore is the incredible variety of people I meet—historians with stories from the past, mathematicians with numbers that dance, and, of course, authors, illustrators, and crafters. It’s amazing how the love of books can connect such a diverse group. Once, I even received a letter from jail!
Wearing All the Hats I knew I’d be selling books, but I didn’t expect to become the social media manager, event planner, accountant and even the occasional handyman. Who knew running a bookstore meant being a jack-of-all-trades (and master of none)?
The Little Things Matter Hearing a child say, “This is my favorite store,” while bringing in one auntie after another; seeing an “I don’t really read…” adult finding a book that sparks their curiosity means as much as any big milestone.
The Quirky Questions and Remarks “Is a book a one-time thing? I read it and that’s all?” or “Which book pairs best with a glass of brandy?” or “This book smells like granny’s house.” The conversations add to the charm.
On a more serious note, these past six months have been nothing short of incredible. You might already know that opening this bookstore was my way of fulfilling a childhood dream. But, there was another hope I didn’t dare to believe would come true: finding my place and my community—finding people who care about what I have to offer.
I can’t quite put it into words, but I had been searching for that sense of home for a long time. Opening the bookstore was my way of putting myself out there.
What I didn’t expect was the warm embrace of the community. I was heard. I was welcomed. And for that, I am deeply, truly grateful.
Tanya Sedneva is the founder and owner of Beyond Text Bookstore, located at 318 N. Santa Cruz Ave., in Los Gatos. It’s open from 10am-6pm every day except for Monday, when the shop is closed.
