In a world filled with everything digital, even books, a new bookstore just bloomed in the heart of Old Town Temecula, bringing back that old-fashioned book shopping vibe. In Bloom Bookery is locally owned by Katie Mullin and is an independent bookstore. The bookstore had its grand opening on March 16, opening its doors, drawing in book lovers and families to this cozy shop.
Located on Main St, right next to the Temecula Community Theater, this vibrant and eye-catching bookstore filled with excitement is nestled among Old Town’s historic buildings and storefronts. They have a wide range of books, from fantasy, sci-fi, historical, romance, and contemporary, all of which many can find genres to their liking. They also have books from local authors in Temecula.
It is refreshing to see independent bookstores become more popular, especially in Southern California. Chain stores and online retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble have become dominant in the book market. In Bloom Bookery is bringing the community together away from those online realtors. Many residents were excited when they heard about the bookstore’s opening and were curious how it would turn out. For visitors like Crystal Jimenez, the experience felt almost magical.
“My first impression was like walking into a candy wonderland—except the bookstore version,” Crystal said. “The owner and her family clearly put all their love and passion into this space. The smell of fresh book pages was definitely my favorite part, aside from the decorations.”
Other locals are excited about the bookstore’s central location. “It honestly means a lot since it’s basically in the heart of Temecula, aka Old Town,” said resident Laylani. “It helps book lovers like myself look forward to buying books or little trinkets they have.”
Not only is this another shopping option for book lovers, but it is also a spot to bring the book lover community together. In Bloom Bookery hosts events such as author readings, book clubs, writer meetups, craft events, and book release events.
The grand opening featured music, a fun scavenger hunt, prizes, photo opportunities, and meeting new people. It was such a welcoming atmosphere that a local resident had only good reviews about the store. “I got to meet the owner and her husband. They were both extremely nice, and her husband made sure that we were well hydrated with water after having to stand in the sun for a while,” said a local resident. “I could tell they were very excited and grateful to see that so many people came to support them.”
The magic of local bookstores seems to be just getting started. As the people came out of the store with bags filled with books and smiles on their faces, this was the beginning of a personal connection to stories and the importance of independent bookstores to communities.
