Spend five minutes with Melinda Einander and you’ll be telling her all about your favorite books and authors and how you got into reading in the first place.

Invariably, you’ll find something among the stacks in her bookstore, Harbor Books, you have to have. Oftentimes, readers don’t choose books, books choose their readers, and this bookstore speaks to consumers of stories of all ages, generations and interests — from horror and science fiction to children’s books and history, you’ll find a little bit of everything at Harbor Books.

And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, Einander can order it for you.

“I get everybody. The thing my clientele has in common is they are book lovers and they enjoy being in a space that values books,” Einander said. “I get folks who want the newest bestseller, I get folks who want something eclectic, I get folks who read a lot and they’re just looking for a place where they can get the next things on their reading list. I do book trade-ins for people who don’t have a lot to spend on books but want to read a lot. I can order almost anything that’s in print.”

In addition to new and used physical books, Harbor Books recently added audio books and e-books to its offerings.

Harbor Books moved into its new and current location in late November. It’s the third location in the store’s history.

It was founded by Greg and Ruth Zschomler in 2017 and was part of their home on Market Street in Aberdeen. Originally from Portland, Einander, a former schoolteacher with no bookselling experience, enjoyed frequenting the store and when the Zschomlers decided to retire, she and her wife Kaide decided to purchase Harbor Books and move it to 2200 Simpson Avenue in Hoquiam a few doors down from Eargasm Records in June of 2021.

Einander recently moved Harbor Books into a new location at 720 Simpson Avenue and held a two-day open house the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving and then opened the following Monday. A formal Grand Opening and ribbon cutting ceremony facilitated by Greater Grays Harbor, Inc., was held on Jan. 21.

According to Einander, the Zschomlers started Harbor Books to support local authors and held workshops to that end. She endeavors to carry on that tradition.

“When I took over the store, I wanted to hold that commitment although my background is not in writing, I am not a writer,” Einander said. “We host a local writers group that meets at the store once a month. I am happy to carry local authors’ books. I have a section for local authors. I have local authors’ books that are adult fiction, memoirs, children’s books, poetry, the whole gamut.”

‘Books are a uniquely portable magic.’ — Stephen King

Roughly a dozen people participate in the writers group. Einander says she is not surprised by the number of authors in the Grays Harbor area.

“It’s a very creative area, there’s a lot of arts here, the amount of theater we have for a community this size I find astounding,” Einander said. “I think there are a lot of creative people here in the Harbor.”

Einander plans to host more events and discover more of what her clientele wants to read and experience.

“I’m hoping we can host more events, we’ve got more space, we have a better location, I’m hoping to do more, hosting more book clubs, having other events, more author events,” Einander said. “I’m really open to exploring what people are looking for, what we can offer. I’m trying to be responsive to the community’s needs. Bookstores are very good for a community.”

It is not lost on Einander that Harbor Books is just the second bookstore in the history of Hoquiam and the first since 1952. It was one of only four bookstores in all of Grays Harbor County — Joie Des Livres in Seabrook, OddDuck Books in Elma, and Lemon Hill Café & Bookstore in Montesano are the other three.

“It’s tough to run a bookstore, it’s not a big money maker. People come in all the time and say, ‘how can you possibly have a bookstore, does anybody read anymore?’ Well, yes, people still read,” Einander said. “It is a difficult business, the margins are really slim, there’s a lot of competition, from large online retailers in particular. For people interested in investing in their community, supporting your local bookstore is a great way to do that — a place where people can come together, share knowledge, share a love of literacy, and get exposed to new ideas. I’m trying really hard to be a positive presence in the community.”

‘Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”’ — Frederick Douglass

Indie bookstores have undergone a resurgence in recent years as communities continue to emerge from the COVID-19 global pandemic. According to the American Booksellers Association, the number of independent bookstores has nearly doubled since 2016, now surpassing 2,400 nationwide.

Thanks to Melinda Einander, Hoquiam boasts one of those local, independent bookstores that has something for everybody and fosters a love of reading, writing and books bolstered by a sense of community.

And if you’re just passing by, stop in, chat with Melinda for a few minutes and you’ll probably walk out with a book you didn’t know you needed.