A Community Builds a Bookstore

Tiana Padilla

People forming a line at the front entrance of Maria’s Bookshop for their 40th anniversary celebration Sept. 19.

Kealey Meyer, a Fort Lewis College student, and a bookseller at Maria’s reading off numbers for one of many book raffles happening throughout the night. Meyer has been going to Maria’s since childhood, she said. “As a college student, they have been really supportive in my school and education,” Meyer said. “They’ve really put my education first before anything.”

Two people reach for books on a shelf.

Evan Schertz, the owner of Maria’s, giving a speech shortly before announcing the launch of Maria’s Literary Foundation. Maria’s Literary Foundation is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the bookshop to expand access to literary programming in the Four Corners region by donating books to schools and community centers, working with other organizations, and putting on events that build community, Nina Lundstrom, executive director of Maria’s Literary Foundation, said.

A crowd watches and dances to musical guest, People We Know.