A Note from Our Founder, Roxanne J. Coady
Dear Reader,
On April 19, 1990, we removed the brown paper covering the windows, unlocked the front door, and began day one of RJ Julia Booksellers. I remember standing there with Kevin, both nervous and hopeful, wondering if anyone would actually come inside. We had a simple but mighty goal: to build a beautiful space overflowing with books—a place that would inspire discovery, conversation, and connection.
Over the years, so much has changed. In 1990, there was no “world wide web,” no Amazon, and Barnes & Noble was not yet expanding across the country. It would be safe to assume that 35-years later, everything about RJ Julia Booksellers would be different, too.
In fact, everything is (almost) the same. Readers who walk through the door today have the same experience readers did 35-years ago: a warm, welcoming greeting from a bookseller eager to put the right book in their hands.
I look back and marvel at the community that didn’t just come through the door—they embraced us, and have sustained us. Bookstores like RJ Julia don’t exist because someone simply opens a store. They exist because people like you keep showing up. You browse the shelves, bring your children to story time, attend author events, and chat with our staff about what you’re reading. You’ve made this place more than a bookstore—you’ve made it a community hub, a cultural anchor, a literary home.
And what a home it has been! Over the past 35 years, we’ve hosted thousands of authors—from debuts to legends—and placed millions of books in your hands. We’ve welcomed babies who are now grown-ups bringing in their own little ones. We’ve celebrated weddings, mourned losses, cheered triumphs, and shared the quiet, everyday joy of reading together.
We’ve also been privileged to give back. Thanks to your continued support, we’ve donated more than $1.5-million in books to schools and organizations that promote literacy and learning. When times have been hard—when bookstores everywhere were shuttering, when the world paused during a global pandemic—you didn’t walk away. You doubled down. You made sure we stayed here, ready for whatever came next. I am eternally grateful.
On Saturday, April 26, we’ll give back again, with a “Fill the Bus Book Drive,” benefiting Read to Grow. Read to Grow is celebrating a milestone this year, too—their 25th anniversary— and they have blossomed into one of the most effective and professional literacy organizations in Connecticut. In the 1990s, RJ Julia helped launched Read to Grow with a book drive that benefited the Fairhaven Clinic, and so, we’re celebrating their anniversary, and ours, by hosting a fill-the-bus book drive!
These anniversaries are more than just milestones—they’re a celebration of the readers, educators, authors, and families who have made this community so special.
None of this could happen without the incredible staff who have filled these walls with insight, energy, and knowledge. Some have been here since the early days, others just joined us, but all of them share a passion for great books and great conversations. They are the reason I still wake up every day feeling energized and hopeful about the work we do.
None of this could happen without YOU, dear reader. Thank you, thank you, thank you—to the readers who nourish us, the neighbors who believe in supporting local business—the hearts that beat at the center of RJ Julia.
When I look back at that 41-year-old version of myself—the one who was eight months pregnant, who dared to dream up a bookstore— I’d tell her this: Go for it. There will be thousands of staff and readers and authors who also are committed to creating and sustaining a place where the written and spoken word is honored and cherished. They will help make it happen.
Together we have.
The highs were higher than I thought they’d be, and the lows were lower… but above all, I would tell 41-year-old-me to enjoy the ride!
Happy 35th birthday, RJ Julia Booksellers. Here’s to the next chapter—written together.
With deepest gratitude,
Roxanne J. Coady
RJ Julia Booksellers