A new bookstore (and more) in downtown Modesto? Never say nevermore
One upon a midnight dreary, a husband and wife envisioned a store a bit spooky and cheery.
It was perhaps not that exact scenario, but Edgar Allen’s Poe’s famous poem served as inspiration for The Raven’s Perch Bookstore, Modesto’s newest bookstore and the only one downtown since 1999, when Readmore Books closed on 11th Street.
The store is opening the weekend of June 12 in the 3,100-square-foot space once occupied by the Crow Trading Co. antique store on J Street. Owners and Crystal and Jeff Sweyd have transformed the space into a unique place for the community to gather.
Sweyd said that since becoming a mom, she has found fewer places to hang out with other adults and their children. “You can go to coffee shops, but you can’t be super loud because people are working and stuff, and then going to the park is not the most fun thing year-round,” she said.
Sweyd dreamed of a place to come together. As an avid reader, a place centered around books seemed a good idea. It wasn’t until she met local dance teacher Amber Hunt that the dream began to expand into even more possibilities.
“When I met her (Crystal), I knew I wanted to be her friend,” Hunt said. Sweyd’s children were enrolled in Hunt’s dance class, and the women became fast friends, bonding over music, crafts, activities and books. They both are fans of fantasy and dark romance novels.
Two years ago, Hunt left the dance studio to start a community nonprofit in Hughson called The Little Luminaries, which provides dance, performance, art and other classes and activities for children and their parents.
Sweyd enrolled in her new program, and as their friendship progressed, they began to talk about creating a permanent space that combined their love of reading and activities for kids.
About a year ago, they began to search for the perfect location, first coming close to purchasing an existing used-book business in Turlock and then looking at spaces in downtown Modesto. They were close to signing a lease at a different location on J Street, but it was leased to another tenant the day they went to secure it.
Shortly after that, they found the spot next to Penny University. “It took us months to get in here,” Sweyd said. “Our neighbors were really helpful in trying to get the space.”
At the beginning of May, they secured the lease and moved in. The Sweyds and Hunt have worked long hours daily to get the place ready to open in just a few weeks. The space did not need much more than a bit of paint, and Sweyd already had been collecting furniture, shelving and decor over the last year, sourcing many items from estate sales and Facebook Marketplace.
One of the most striking elements are two full suits of armor flanking a cozy reading area in the adult book section. The bookstore theme is aligned with their book preferences, a moody, romantic, Old World aesthetic with whimsical and fantasy elements.
The adult book section resembles a castle interior and is right next to the woodland forest-themed kids section. They are separated by low shelving so that parents can watch their children while they shop or read. The kids area features a large play rug with cushions and benches made to resemble tree logs.
In the main area are large tables for people to sit and read or play games that will be available at the store.
Sweyd and Hunt relied on their large network of creatives to fill an area with local vendors selling art, stickers, kids toys, gifts and more. Raven’s Perch will sell used and new books, with much of the used stock coming from the thousands of books Sweyd owns.
Hunt is leading the store’s programming as the media and events manager, replicating many of the classes she led in her other endeavor. “The Little Luminaries will continue here; I will be connecting it to the bookstore and even doing some dance classes here,” she said.
Sweyd and Hunt have an ambitious goal for the activities they will offer. They intend to have live music, women’s craft nights, instruction on playing card games and role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons, poetry circles and, of course, book clubs for kids and adults.
“We’re just trying to find ways to connect all these different aspects and bring it all together into one spot to do art, literature stuff, book clubs and other fun things to just build community,” Sweyd said. “We want to have that third space that you saw on sitcoms and not have to spend a lot of money to do something or to take your kids somewhere. We think it can actually exist.”
The Raven’s Perch Bookstore will open Friday, June 12, and have a celebration through the weekend, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The first 150 customers will receive a gift bag, among other promotional items planned for the grand opening.
Regular store hours will be Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with special events and activities after business hours and announced on the shop’s Instagram page. The Raven’s Perch Bookstore is at 1208 J St.
