Story by Ondrea Machin | Photos by Michelle Reyes

From daring sword fights to outdoor adventures, books help create a way to escape reality or go out and explore it. Books immerse you in the adventure and take you on exciting journeys. But where is the best place to find such books?

There are a few options, such as the Public Library, Brooks Library or even ordering off Amazon. However, there is one such place that offers a variety of book sections, as well as puzzles and trinkets.

The Pearl Street Bookstore is full of books and activities just waiting to be read.

What is the Pearl Street Bookstore?

In the old all brick 1888 building lies a 60-year-old bookstore. The building is one of five that survived the Great Ellensburg Fire and is the only one left standing. This store has had four owners, all of which were female.

The previous owner Michelle had the bookstore for just under 10 years and her brother owns Jerrols. “So they were working in books and book selling from the time they were teens,” Current Owner of Pearl Street Bookstore, Liz Stone says.

Why buy a bookstore?

Liz Stone always wanted to own a bookstore and help people explore their reading needs. But before she could do that she had to do some exploring herself.

Stone and her Husband grew up in Hawaii, and it wasn’t until they came to Ellensburg that they decided to settle down here.

“We came to Ellensburg right before COVID and really liked the area and it ticked a lot of our boxes and we decided to move here,” Stone says.

The bookstore has many different sections available for any age, including romance, manga, graphic novels, regional/outdoor, young adult and children's books. Stone also has some gifts and greeting cards, and she plans to expand with souvenirs.

What are some goals for the bookstore?

Before Stone took over, the bookstore only had a website but there was no way to order online and in the midst of COVID-19 having that aspect is important. The store also didn’t have a romance section, just random romance books scattered throughout the store.

So, Stone wanted to revamp the store and “try to meet what people are asking for and what I saw is kind of missing there,” Stone says.

Some other things Stone would like to do are make the store a community resource, continuing book clubs and some renovations that “give it a fresher look.” She also wants to find a better use of the upstairs area.

Stone’s favorite moments?

Stone enjoys seeing CWU students come in, either in groups or individually, and pick up the classics “which does my bookseller heart very good,” she says. She also likes to see people enjoy the gifts, puzzles and games available.

As Stone works to expand the sections and other things in her store, she hopes to create a space where both kids and adults can be free to live out their imagination through books.