The Paperbacks Unlimited story began in June of 1972. Howard and Jill Brown had been customers at Dick's Books, a small used bookstore in Mayette Village, for 3 years. To their dismay, upon visiting the store at the end of May 1972, they found out the bookstore was closing. The owner was going back to college and had been unable to find a buyer for the business. Almost on the spur of the moment they decided to buy the bookstore. Jill had quit her job as a social worker when their daughter Heather was born two years previously. Jill had a dream of being a librarian and becoming a bookstore owner sounded like it might be more fun. They opened the doors as Paperbacks Unlimited the following week. Jill ran the bookstore during the week, bringing Heather to work with her every day. Howard continued his job in data processing with Sonoma County and worked at the store on Saturdays.
The bookstore was only 500 square feet and as the business slowly increased more room was needed for the expanding inventory. When an identical space became available next door we gladly doubled our size. As business improved Howard decided to open a second store in Washington Square Shopping Center in Petaluma in 1978.
After 7 years we were notified by the landlord that the shopping center of our first location was going to be torn down and rebuilt. We were able to find another space but had to wait for construction of Farmers Lane Plaza to be completed. We moved the store to a temporary location downtown, across from city hall, for a year, until the shopping center was finished. We had a storefront with 1,500 square feet and were in that location for almost 5 years. Outgrowing the space and having to pay for a triple net lease prompted us to look for a new location. We found a 4,000 square foot building on Sonoma Highway and moved the business there in 1984. We have now been at our present location for over 30 years!
After graduating from college Heather worked in recreation management and for a nonprofit, and in 1995 she joined the staff of the bookstore. In 2000 Heather found a scrawny kitten on the highway in front of the bookstore, and Booker has now lived at the bookstore for over 15 years and has become a customer favorite!
In 2003, with the birth of Heather’s first child, and growing tired of the commute, we decided to sell the Petaluma bookstore and Howard joined the staff at the Santa Rosa store.
There have been many changes in the book business in the 40 plus years we have been in business. Electronic readers and Amazon have made survival of local used bookstores very challenging, but we remain committed to providing quality used books at a great price. Customers appreciate having a place to browse and having a place to take their books once they are ready to find a new home for them. Thanks to all our loyal customers who have followed us from location to location. We appreciate it that so many of you always check with us first before turning to the internet to order books. Please come in and browse and we will be happy help you find what you are looking for or recommend some of our favorite books.
The bookstore was only 500 square feet and as the business slowly increased more room was needed for the expanding inventory. When an identical space became available next door we gladly doubled our size. As business improved Howard decided to open a second store in Washington Square Shopping Center in Petaluma in 1978.
After 7 years we were notified by the landlord that the shopping center of our first location was going to be torn down and rebuilt. We were able to find another space but had to wait for construction of Farmers Lane Plaza to be completed. We moved the store to a temporary location downtown, across from city hall, for a year, until the shopping center was finished. We had a storefront with 1,500 square feet and were in that location for almost 5 years. Outgrowing the space and having to pay for a triple net lease prompted us to look for a new location. We found a 4,000 square foot building on Sonoma Highway and moved the business there in 1984. We have now been at our present location for over 30 years!
After graduating from college Heather worked in recreation management and for a nonprofit, and in 1995 she joined the staff of the bookstore. In 2000 Heather found a scrawny kitten on the highway in front of the bookstore, and Booker has now lived at the bookstore for over 15 years and has become a customer favorite!
In 2003, with the birth of Heather’s first child, and growing tired of the commute, we decided to sell the Petaluma bookstore and Howard joined the staff at the Santa Rosa store.
There have been many changes in the book business in the 40 plus years we have been in business. Electronic readers and Amazon have made survival of local used bookstores very challenging, but we remain committed to providing quality used books at a great price. Customers appreciate having a place to browse and having a place to take their books once they are ready to find a new home for them. Thanks to all our loyal customers who have followed us from location to location. We appreciate it that so many of you always check with us first before turning to the internet to order books. Please come in and browse and we will be happy help you find what you are looking for or recommend some of our favorite books.