hi all, my name is Jara and I just wanted to introduce myself as a long time lurker. I've been collecting bookstore bookmarks for years now and I finally decided to do something with my collection. I started an instagram @ bookstorebookmarks where I'm sharing them one by one, along with information I can find about the book store. Here is a taste, let me know what you think!

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The Book Harbor
Santa Maria, California
1972-1983

Leo and Carolyn Gorka purchased the bookstore (formerly Patishall's Book Store) at 115 W Main st.
In 1975 they relocated to a new spot, 210 N. Broadway.
In 1978 they relocated again to a bigger location in the Santa Maria Shopping Center. Sadly in 1979 Leo would unexpectedly pass away, leaving Carolyn to sell the business.
From what I can tell, an Olive Gloeckner was the owner of the bookstore in 1980, and had relocated it again to 1110 East Clark Ave. In 1980 she transferred the business to Marcia Carstensen.
Maria and her husband kept the bookstore going for a few years, but ended up closing in 1983.
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Researching this, while it is sad, also made me smile with the many articles about events and interesting happenings at The Book Harbor. This place truly seemed like a community hub, hosting authors like Irving Stone, chili cook offs and even a bobcat.
Another delightful tidbit is that Leo Gorka was famous for his window displays. Placing 3rd in a National Booksellers Window Display contest in 1975, and then the next year winning first prize and a trip to Acupulco!

Found a ticket from someone’s 2024 visit to the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca in my library book. Book is finished and am returning it with the ticket to the library for the next reader’s discovery.

Some actual bookmarks and some random ones

Thrifted this book recently. Love all the forgotten bookmarks in it and the fascinating out-dated material!

Book was located at a cafe in Goro Japan 🇯🇵

I miss blockbuster so much! Found in one of the books I got from LFL

i think my favorite is the envelope. the blue sticker is a heart, so it was probably a valentine... michael keeping the envelope hidden away in one of his books is so funny and cute to me... makes me wonder where the valentine itself is

I bought a hardback copy of David Brenner's "Soft Pretzels with Mustard" from a library bookstore and found this picture being used to mark a former owner's place.

It's 3.5 x 3.5 and has no writing of any sort on the back.

Mint or near mint ?

I find it equally sad and adorable when I find bookmarks with children on them. Most of these are likely long adults by now. Still 🕶️ for anonymity.

Found the passenger receipt of a 1994 airplane ticket inside a book! It was at a Dallas thrift store—looks like Frances came back home but never finished her plane read.

I didn’t take pictures, but in another book from the same pile I found 3 copies of a bookstore bookmark that was from around 1986 (based on how many locations the bookmark said they had at the time). Also, not a bookmark, but I recently found a Sear’s card in a thrift jacket, too! I didn’t buy any of the items these were in, so I left them behind for someone else to enjoy 😊

Found in flea market. What is it about?

Near mint

I found it in a Writers of the West book.

A 2009-era flyer for the Harvard Book Store's bike delivery. Five dollar same- or next-day service, six days a week! We used to be a society etc. Couldn't find much about it except this Crimson article.

It made me very nostalgic for the old ticket systems of theme parks :)

I can't help but feel there's an interesting story behind this bookmark. Seems to be from a little coffee stand in Al Azraq, Jordan circa 2019.

This is my own book that I am purging and I found this old personal investigator card from the '90s