Ten years ago, many people, including me, were lamenting the disappearance of the traditional bookstore. In San Luis Obispo, we were basically down to Barnes & Noble, unless we wanted to take a drive to the coast to support Volumes of Pleasure in Los Osos or Coalesce in Morro Bay.
So, imagine my shock and awe when I stopped for lunch recently at one of my favorite restaurants just south of Santa Barbara, Summerland Beach Café, and discovered that it has a new neighbor. A bookstore. An independent bookstore. A three-stories-tall, independent bookstore.
But to introduce Godmothers merely as a bookstore might be akin to telling people that Michelangelo is “a guy who does ceilings.”
Godmothers opened last September with lots of fanfare and A-List glitz. Opening event celebrants included the Those-Only-Known-By-One-Name crowd—Oprah, Harry & Meghan, Ellen & Portia—plus Maria Shriver, Jane Lynch, and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos.
Now, almost four months later, co-owners Victoria Jackson and Jennifer Rudolph Walsh are proving that the brick-and-mortar bookstore concept is back. Make no mistake: these two women, who have been friends for only three years, have a proven track record of success in other careers.
Jackson is a cosmetics mogul and philanthropist. Rudolph Walsh is a high-powered literary agent. Together, they’ve been able to tap into nearby celebrity-friendly Montecito and turn this former antiques store into a mecca for bibliophiles.
Oprah suggested the bookstore name, apparently inspired by a comment from Prince Harry. Such star power has already sparked favorable coverage for Godmothers in a variety of national publications, including Town & Country, Vanity Fair, and Vogue.
This place eats and breathes the written word, in all forms, with generous open space in a reverent atmosphere that seems part library, part church.”
However, Hollywood connections can only get you so far. The true test for Godmothers is in what they’ve created and what they offer. The promising news is that walking through that front door on Lillie Avenue is truly (wait for it) a novel experience.
This place eats and breathes the written word, in all forms, with generous open space in a reverent atmosphere that seems part library, part church.
The greeting etched in the ceiling of the central staircase reads Godmothers Who Lit Our Way. Framed photos on either side showcase a variety of famous, inspiring women, including Joan Didion, Maya Angelou, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Sue Grafton.
Jackson and Rudolph Walsh had the interior taken down to its studs. Hardwood floors, a fireplace, and dark shelves create a warm, inviting atmosphere. Fiction and nonfiction are spread across the first floor. Children’s books have their own room upstairs with a floor-to-ceiling chalkboard. Across from that room is an even larger space with travel and art sections, but also a comfortable couch and chairs that might invite book club meetings.
There is also a café with a menu that seems rather tempting, but I would still steer people towards the Summerland Beach Café. Sorry, I’m biased.
Godmothers has a full schedule of upcoming events featuring authors, including Meredith May on January 4, Moon Unit Zappa (daughter of Frank) on January 10, and novelist Lisa See on January 15.
Godmothers is open daily, but a note on parking: there isn’t much on tiny Lillie Avenue and what little there is gets gobbled up quickly between the bookstore and Summerland Beach Café. Coming off the 101 at the Summerland exit, you might want to park in the more spacious beach lot, a leisurely five minute stroll away.