In the 1980's, Gallery Bookshop was as much an art gallery as bookshop. The store featured paintings and prints by local artists (thus the name "Gallery" Bookshop), art supplies, and greeting cards. Over the years paintings were supplanted by an increasingly broad selection of new books on all topics.

In 1988 Tony Miksak started the first children's bookstore in Mendocino county, Bookwinkle's Children's Books, located on the corner of Kasten and Albion Streets. When Gallery Bookshop expanded into a larger space on Kasten and Main Street, Bookwinkle's moved too. In the years since, Gallery Bookshop & Bookwinkle's Children's Books has served local and international readers with a sophisticated mix of titles that appeals to a broad range of shoppers.

Current owner Christie Olson Day took over ownership in 2006 when Tony announced his intention to retire. She plans to carry forward the Gallery Bookshop tradition while enhancing the things that make the store so special. Tony continues to write his popular “Words on Books” column, featured on the Gallery Bookshop home page, on a (more or less) weekly basis.

A complete selection of books by local authors, plus cards, magazines, calendars, wrapping paper, stationery products of all kinds, maps, posters, stickers and writing supplies will continue to define the shopping experience at Gallery Bookshop, according to Christie Olson Day.

One of the long-time strengths of the store has been extraordinary customer service provided by a dedicated, book-loving staff. Some staff members have worked at the bookshop for decades, some for a few years. All have a passion for books and the people who read them that will be carried forward and encouraged to grow under new ownership.

Christie invites everyone to stop by Gallery Bookshop & Bookwinkle's Children's Books to meet the staff and help celebrate the happy continuation of this important community resource.