Owners of The Rose Books and Obscurities plan to expand to a used book and coffee shop in downtown Pacific Grove.

The vault inside the historic bank building at 580 Lighthouse Ave. in downtown Pacific Grove hasn't seen money or gold in it in years. But husband-and-wife business team Ernest and Yasmine Rose, who own The Rose Books and Obscurities in downtown Monterey, have plans for it.

They are keeping the Monterey bookshop housing rare books that are hundreds of years old, but their next venture adds to the renaissance of downtown Pacific Grove in the form of a large used books and coffee shop called Thorns, set to open in early 2027.

Ernest Rose hopes to curate a space where visitors can enjoy proprietary espresso and coffee while perusing a plethora of used and rare books. Downtown Pacific Grove and the space are personal to him.

“My journey started on Lighthouse Avenue,” says Rose, speaking about his start as a book collector and entrepreneur. “The space called to us.”

The old bank has sat empty for many years. Passers-by could peer in through the front door window and see the old vault at the end of the room. The Roses saw it as the perfect location for people to gather.

Ernest says that he and Yasmine are currently in possession of at least 10,000 books that are planned to be curated and placed on shelves that are currently being built offsite. The duo plans to utilize the still-working vault to house the rarest and most valuable books in the collection.

Those that have ever visited The Rose Books and Obscurities can attest to the small size of the Monterey shop. A new expansive location gives Ernest Rose the opportunity to do more programming.

“I’m envisioning a space that’s alive,” he says, adding that he plans to invite authors and lecturers in for book signings and events once the shop is up and running. He also hopes to expand into later hours, depending on feedback from the community.

Rose has recruited Noah Reeves, founder of Smooth Coffee Co., to help curate the proprietary label of coffee blends for Thorns, which will be exclusive to the business. He also plans to set up a book-buying program for the shop along with a conservation component.

Now four months in, Rose is nearing the end of a permitting process with the City of Pacific Grove, which will enable construction and renovations to begin, starting with flooring. He made an announcement about his new venture in detail via Instagram in October, after setting up an account for it earlier.

“Pacific Grove seems to be a place that’s growing,” he says. “We want to grow with them.”