“For the love of reading.”
This is the motto behind the locally known bookstore and curiosity shop Marissa’s Books & Gifts which is located in Millcreek, Utah. The wondrous store was conceptualized when a woman named Cindy Dumas took her granddaughter, Marissa, to a bookstore. There she watched as the magic of reading lit up Marissa’s eyes and a love of books poured out of every part of her soul.
The Soul of the Store
This out-of-body experience gave Dumas the idea to curate a bookstore. There, adults and children alike could rediscover their love of reading in a warm and inspiring environment. The original Marissa’s Books & Gifts was located in downtown Salt Lake City, but once word got out about its uniqueness, the public demand became far too high for the small space.
Coincidentally, a newly foreclosed tire store in Millcreek provided a once-in-a-lifetime transformative opportunity for the Dumas family that they eagerly accepted. The family began renovations on the tire shop and by 2020, they created and opened the new Marissa’s Books & Gifts which is now home to many unique pieces for gifts and thousands of books from all niches.
The store houses everything from vintage books and up-and-coming novels to vintage games as well as statues and artwork. The store ensures that everyone can find something to love about Marissa’s. It’s are a family-owned business that provides all of its goods at a huge discount from the original retail price making this store the hub for teachers, librarians, parents and broke college students to indulge in their love of all things books.
Curiosity Runs Wild
Today when you walk through Marissa’s doors, you are immediately engulfed by a world of imagination and wonder. Within its walls, you feel transported into a time when books were the center of the universe and words didn’t exist on a screen but lived within ink and paper. As you peek around each corner, you are met with a panorama of new curiosities related to the genre of books that fills the space.
The front of the store is filled with natural light to highlight the featured books and new releases, which is generally what draws a reader in. The kids’ section is filled with toys and bright colors to entice young eyes and draw engagement from an adolescent audience. The back of the store houses the antique books, accompanied by an arrangement of antique decorations, posters, chess sets and furniture that look to have evaporated out of an old Hollywood film.
The Dumas family had a clear vision in mind when they set out to create Marissa’s, and it has truly come to fruition. The desire to learn that swam in Cindy’s granddaughter’s eyes now treads on in each of the readers that walk through its doors. The Dumas family has created a world in which every reader can explore their curiosities, all stemming from a child’s love of reading.
If you are craving a book lover’s experience, be sure to check out Marissa’s Books & Gifts’ brick and mortar shop on 3302 South and 900 East in Millcreek, Utah.
