Patrons of The Shops at Green Gate Village in downtown St. George pass a sign that says, “The Literary Soul of Our Community.” This phrase encapsulates the heart of The Book Bungalow, St. George’s only independently owned bookstore.
Readers who enter the shop are greeted with shelves upon shelves of genres ranging from fantasy to romance, to horror, to international fiction and more.
“My vision was to have this be a place not only for readers, but for writers,” said owner Tanya Mills, who opened the shop in 2018.
The cozy interior reflected that welcoming sentiment; couches and padded chairs were arranged throughout the shop to give customers a comfy place to read or write. There was a room dedicated to children’s books, with small tables and chairs for kids and murals from different children’s stories painted on the walls.
Initially, Mills decided that St. George needed an independent bookstore after her son Jason was denied a job at Barnes & Noble. Her goal was to help him find work that aligned with his love of books, but also combat the overwhelming scale of these large chains.
Jason has been working at the store since it opened and spoke on the growth he’s seen over the last seven years: “As the years have gone on, we’ve expanded [into] the back half [of the building]. We’ve [also] definitely grown with the types of books we’ve ordered; we’ve become much more open-minded.”
He said the most fulfilling part of working at the store has been meeting new people and becoming good friends with them.
Mills said authors usually come to her about carrying and selling their books, and she will keep it on her shelf free of charge for three months. If it sells, she’ll keep a stock of the book in the store. She highlights any author, regardless of whether their book is traditionally published or self-published.
One of these local authors is Utah Tech University alumna Kynsie Cole, who self published her debut fantasy novel “Miscreant” in March.
“I love little indie bookstores, especially [The Book Bungalow],” Cole said. “It just has a very wholesome feel and [is] more wholesome and welcoming than a big chain bookstore.”
The Book Bungalow’s diverse selection of books is completely controlled by Mills. She said she consults the American Booksellers Association’s monthly list of popular titles and often orders from Edelweiss Plus, a book distribution platform for booksellers. Mills said she also goes off the New York Times Best Sellers list, the New Yorker’s list of best books and the Washington Post hardcover bestsellers.
The shop also carries audiobooks and will do special orders for titles they do not carry in store.
One of Mills’ goals when the shop opened was to turn it into a community hub to host book clubs, writing groups and other events. The last Saturday of each month is dedicated to highlighting local authors, with other author-focused events happening regularly.
On Oct. 11, they’re hosting their annual Harry Potter Book Day that will include a Hogwarts house Sorting Ceremony, a special wandmaking activity and more. The shop also holds virtual meetings that can be seen on their events page.
These events are held to bring the community together. Mills emphasized the importance of supporting local businesses, saying that it helps the community and its growth.
She also encourages readers to sign up for The Book Bungalow’s newsletter and $2 monthly membership, both of which can be found on their website.
Mills said, “If you want to support your community, if you care about your town, support the businesses that are there.”
