How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
This project was born from friendship and a shared love of reading. We are Gerardo and David, two friends who met while studying Latin American Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). When the pandemic hit, we created an online bookstore. What makes us special is that our catalog includes books from independent Colombian and Ecuadorian publishers.
What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
We really enjoy it when publishers share their new releases with us. We're excited to know which books will soon be available. It's also a wonderful experience when we receive the books and review them to immerse ourselves in their world so we can recommend them to our customers.
If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
We don't have a physical store; we're an online bookstore. When you visit our profile, you'll see our extensive selection of books. We share our current stock, reels, podcasts, promotions, and new releases in our stories. We also occasionally participate in events where we showcase our books, and you're sure to leave with a smile and plenty of recommendations.
What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
We're a project that's open to change. From the beginning, we've felt the need to connect with our audience and not just sell books. We started with Instagram Live sessions where we talked about the books we sold and the authors we liked. Later, the live sessions evolved into a podcast, and recently we expanded to TikTok, making videos about the books we've read and our recommendations from our catalog.
What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
The books themselves inspire us to keep going. Knowing that there is so much to discover, so much to read, and that thanks to these objects a community can be created where ideas, reflections, and thoughts are exchanged, and that through this, cherished friendships are forged.
What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
Generally, whenever we visit an independent bookstore, we get excited thinking that we might one day have a physical space of our own. A couple of weeks ago, I went to Bogotá and I really liked the Matorral bookstore. A beautiful, two-story independent bookstore with a glass facade, where all the titles were appealing. I thought about the creativity required to set up a bookstore: the design of the space, the layout, and, of course, the selection. Owning an independent bookstore is also a way to express yourself.
If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
Thanks to the podcast and the book club, we were able to invite writers like Didi Gutiérrez, Giuseppe Caputo, Iliana Vargas, Andrea Chapela, and María Fernanda Ampuero. If we had the chance, I'd love to interview Mariana Enriquez, Mónica Ojeda, or Cristina Rivera Garza.
Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
Our house is our storage space, and sometimes there's no more room; we have to get creative to store the books. Part of the storage is above my cupboard.
If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
If we were a book, we'd be "The Savage Detectives" by Roberto Bolaño, a book David and I read before opening the bookstore. We really enjoyed how it portrays Mexico City while exploring the early years of Arturo Belano and Ulises Lima. If we were an album, we'd be Rosalía's "Motomami." David, for his part, doesn't have a favorite album.
Answers by Gerardo Luis Galindo and David Bernal Montero
