Independent bookstore is an instant hit in downtown Hollister

Hollister’s newest—and only—independent bookstore opened Saturday to a large crowd browsing the aisles and buying some of their favorite reading material.

Hills Bookstore, at 650 San Benito St. in downtown Hollister, not only has a wide variety of books, but also a children’s area, coffee mugs, themed bookmarks and pleasant smelling candles.

But it’s the books that are the headliners. They come in genres for children, young adults, mystery, romance, thrillers, science-fiction, fantasy and nonfiction, as well as unique games and puzzles. There’s also a children’s play area, a cozy room for reading and a self-serve tea station.

Owners Adam and Kimberly Hill greeted customers with the joy and passion that comes with reading.

“We were blown away,” Kimberly said. “We knew people were excited but we were shocked to see people show so much support.”

One of those customers Feb. 15 was Hollister resident Mattie Walker who was perusing the aisles with her boyfriend Dustin Watson. She said having a local bookstore is its own kind of magic, especially when the owners understand how cherished a book can be.

“They see the value in up-and-coming writers, not just best sellers,” she said. “And because of that, their selection is diverse beyond imagination.”

Kimberly said she saw the value of a local bookstore a year or so ago. “It started as a joke,” she said. An avid reader, she and Adam were constantly going back and forth to Barnes and Noble in Gilroy. “I told Adam, ‘we need a bookstore here,’” she said. “He laughed, but we came up with a plan and we thought we could make this happen.”

After doing a bit of research, the couple planned a pop-up in the parklet of the nearby Ohana Shaved Ice whose owners Peter and Karina Hernandez were happy to help. The Hills bought about 100 books and sold most of them that February 2024 weekend.

“That was the moment it solidified for us,” she said.

With a 3-year-old son, an 8-year-old daughter, and Kimberly working on her Master’s degree in nursing, the couple didn’t want to rush into it so they continued getting support doing pop ups throughout the year, including at Vertigo in San Juan Bautista, Calera Coffee in Hollister and the Hollister Farmers’ Market last year.

Then last October as they were driving through downtown, she saw a “For Lease” sign in a window.

“Babe, stop the car,” she told Adam.

They peaked in the window and thought it looked perfect so they began the process of taking over the space.

Tackling the process of starting a new business was a challenge but nothing like the challenge of serving in the U.S. Navy as an aviation electrician mate fixing wires on helicopters based in San Diego, where she met Adam. She did two tours in the Persian Gulf in 2011 and 2012. The couple met there while Adam was in the Navy serving as military police.

Now, Adam will run the day-to-day operations while Kimberly continues her job as a nurse at the Hazel Hawkins rural health clinic across the street from the hospital. She’ll fill in at night and during the weekends.

She said the store’s opening weekend emptied their shelves but they received 15 boxes of new inventory Tuesday that they are slowly going through. She originally bought what she thought she might like to read, then expanded that to what Hollister residents might enjoy.

Mattie Walker is happy to see the bookstore open.

“Kimberly and Adam have brought a little slice of heaven to Hollister and after all the hard work they put into bringing this to life, I’m beyond thrilled,” she said.

Hill’s Bookstore is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am-7pm.