Morro Bay not only has some of my favorite things, but it also blends them in a most delightful way. Despite the drought, volunteer groups keep gardens going in almost every vacant lot, parking strip, street planters, around public buildings and on private land loaned for that purpose. Many businesses have gardens including a bead shop that displays garden art for sale in a cozy space behind the store. Two of my favorite coffee cafes have lovely sheltered gardens behind them that are great places to sip while reading or catching up with Facebook friends. Even on cool breezy days they’re comfortable.
Next door to one of the coffee cafes is a wonderful, small independent bookstore, Coalesce Books, with a lovely garden and garden chapel that is used for weddings, concerts and other events.
Garden Entry
The bookstore was founded in 1973 by two young women from Oregon. Just outside of the store is a sidewalk chalkboard donated by the Morro Bay Public Art Foundation. Often it will have very literate graffiti but occasionally somebody wanders by from the local saloon. The teensy mailbox on the left side of the chalk board holds colored chalk for passing artists and poets.
Graffiti Chalk Board
The book store carries a wide variety of books, new and used, features local authors, but is perhaps a little heavy on the “new age” and metaphysical, at least for my taste. They also have music and a nice selection of greeting cards and small gifts.
Cozy Reading Corner
Another quiet corner
A quiet spot for browsing…
And many photos of the peaceful garden:
I hope you enjoyed your photo visit to my favorite bookstore here. It’s late, so I’ll share some of the other gardens around town with you in a future blog post.
You know I enjoyed every bit of this. We love that bookstore. The inside photos made my heart race .
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Enjoyed it very much!
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Books and gardens go together beautifully as you so aptly illustrated here. Great post.
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Thank you, Grace! I do miss it already–I would love to read in my own garden, but I’mn rarely able to do so as my eye quickly strays to that weed that needs pulling, a wayward branch that needs pruning, and next thing I know I’m in full-fledged gardening mode, book forgotten.
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