The ranks of independent book stores grew by five in the Northern San Joaquin Valley region over the last two years including the Ripon Bookstore at 204 Main St. in downtown Ripon.
The Ripon Bookstore along with six others are staging a month-long Bookstore Crawl through the Valley.
To join the crawl, simply visit one of the participating bookstores to pick up your free “passport” and get a stamp and other goodies from each store you visit during the month.
And on April 25 — national Independent Bookstore Day — expect big celebrations at the seven independent bookstores that crawl organizes note are “cozy places full of charm and hyperlocal connection.
The American Booksellers Association estimates that there are more than 3,200 independent book stores nationally.
Organizer Lauren Dutch of Story Books and Toys in Oakdale had the dream of opening her bookstore in 2020, around the same time other book lovers were exploring similar ideas.
“This isn’t about competition. It’s about community. These spaces are stronger together, just like the towns they serve,” Dutch said.
Dutch notes while it may be cheaper to shop from big box stores or online, “Amazon won’t read to your kids, or make you a cup of coffee, or chat with you about your favorite authors, or host a poetry reading.”
“People aren’t just scrolling past one another but they’re engaging with each other,” Dutch said of bookstores. “They’re talking about stories, sharing perspectives, and connecting with people they may have never met otherwise.”
“Families gather for story time, friends meet over book club discussions, and children discover the joy of reading in a way that feels meaningful and lasting. ”
The bookstores participating in the Central California Book Crawl are:
*BK Bookstore, 2943 4th Street, Ceres @bkbooksandmore Monday-Saturday 10-6.
*Bookish, 811 W. Roseburg Ave., Modesto @bookish_modesto Tuesday-Saturday 10-6 .
*Caspian Books, 48 W 10th St, Tracy @caspianbookstracy Monday-Saturday 10-5.
*Mountain Bookshop, 1376-I Mono Way, Sonora @mountainbookshop Monday-Saturday 1-5.
*Ripon Bookstore, 204 W Main St, Ripon @riponbookstore Tuesday-Friday 9-5:30; Sunday 12:30-5:30.
*Scrawl, Scribble & Smirch Bookshop, 536 5th Street, Gustine @scrawlscribblesmirchbookshop Tuesday-Friday 11-6; Saturday 9:30-4:30.
*Story Books & Toys (since 2025) 150 S 2nd Ave, Oakdale @story_books_and_toys Monday-Friday 10-5:30; Saturday 10-4.
“People aren’t just scrolling past one another but they’re engaging with each other,” Dutch said of bookstores. “They’re talking about stories, sharing perspectives, and connecting with people they may have never met otherwise.”
“Families gather for story time, friends meet over book club discussions, and children discover the joy of reading in a way that feels meaningful and lasting. ”
