Summer Road Trip 2025: Thank You!
Just over a year ago, I stepped into the role as Executive Director of CALIBA. One of my goals for my first year was to get out and visit our member stores and to meet the owners and booksellers that make CALIBA the strong and diverse organization that it is. I’ve had the joy of visiting Sacramento stores with Ann before she passed the baton, Bay Area Stores on Indie Bookstore Day in 2024 as the soon-to-be ED, LA Stores after my big move to SoCal, and San Diego Stores before the Spring Forums. I even managed a winter trip to the stores north of Los Angeles. This Summer Road Trip, however, was the biggest trip I’ve done so far: 7 Days, 1300+ miles, and 16 bookstores visited!
What an amazing experience and opportunity it was to explore our beautiful State, from driving up the coast on Highway 1, to braving the winding mountain roads, and appreciating the expansive grasslands and valleys in between. My partner and I stopped at stunning beaches, beautiful historic towns, and as many of Yosemite National Park’s gorgeous lookouts as we could. The destinations and points of connection through this entire trip were, of course, the 16 unique and beautiful bookstores. Thank you to all of the bookstore owners and managers who were able to meet with me during my trip. It was truly a pleasure to see all of your stores and hear about your successes, challenges, and overall love of bookselling. Your feedback on CALIBA and our programs is invaluable. I hope to see you again at our virtual or in-person events in the coming years. And of course… on another future road trip!
Though California born, I was Texas raised, and it has been a true pleasure discovering the beauty of our State and its communities, neighborhoods, towns, and cities through these trips. It was not a surprise to me that all of the bookstores I visited were nestled in beautiful, bustling downtowns and shopping areas. Whether the people walking into your doors are a majority of vacationers, adventurers, or neighbors, one thing is clear to me, California bookstores provide spaces, events, and resources essential to our communities. Thank you for the work that you do and for making my job a fulfilling one. What a fantastic way to mark year one!
I know there are many more of you I’ve yet to visit, but don’t worry I’ll be planning my next road trip soon enough! To see all of the stores and daily recaps of the trip, visit our Instagram! Want me to visit your store? Send me an email.
Until next time,
Hannah Walcher