Book lovers rejoice. Old Capitol Books is opening a new brick-and-mortar.

Unlike many small local business, Old Capitol Books, once located on 559 Tyler St. in Monterey, didn't shut down during the pandemic because of the economic decline. Rent had been on the rise for some time in their former 2,500-square-foot location. The store announced its move and search for a new location back on June 4, 2020 via Instagram. 

They piled their several-thousand book collection into co-owners' Stephanie Spoto's and Ali Elfaki's home and other places. "We had so many books," Spoto says. "We emptied Ali's parents' garage and stored [books] in driveways with a trap."

During the pandemic, in lieu of in-person shopping they started offering quarantine care packages. 

On April 2, they announced a new location, just a few minutes walking distance from their old place: 482 Alvarado St., Monterey. Spoto is taking over the lease from her friend, Clairette Durand-Gasselin, who used to have a studio there but is no longer using the space. 

Another major difference is the size. Their new location will cram only a fraction of their current selection into a around an 800-square-foot space. But that might not be a bad thing in Spoto's eyes. "I think a smaller space fits our lifestyle a lot better and is more manageable," she says. "I want to be able to step away and know that it's going to be OK." 

The smaller floor plan has not deterred Old Capitol Books' multifaceted approach to literature. At the old venue, they regularly hosted open mics, small concerts, book clubs and other literary events, including efforts like writing letters to incarcerated people. In the new store they're carving out a limited performance space in the back (it can accommodate 20 people, once they can have on-site events) and they are adding an art gallery catering to lesser-known and unrepresented emerging artists. 

Old Capitol Books officially reopens on Thursday, April 8 and will for now be open Thursdays through Sundays from noon-6pm. If business goes well, they'll expand hours.

There is a limit of five people in the shop at  a time, and if it is busy, they have a reservation system in place. "People can sign up, go eat lunch and come back, just like in a restaurant," Spoto says.

And for those who aren't quite ready to enter the real world again for book browsing, Old Capitol Books will continue to offer quarantine care packages. 

For the most current information, go to oldcapitolbooks.com or keep up with the bookstore at instagram.com/oldcapitolbooks.