The story of a local bookstore

Our story begins when a grandmother takes her five-year-old granddaughter, Marissa, to spend a rainy afternoon in a cozy bookstore. Seeing Marissa light up as she explored the magical world of books, the grandmother, Cindy Dumas, got the idea to open her own store: a place where children and adults alike could read in a warm, inspiring atmosphere.

Cindy named her new bookstore Marissa’s Books and began to build a place where anyone could find a new favorite book and read surrounded by antiques, art, and curiosities. By this time, Cindy’s other grandchildren were old enough to help at the store and Marissa’s was built through the cooperation of three generations of the Dumas family.

As Marissa’s continued to expand, the store gained a loyal following of regulars at the location in Salt Lake City, Utah and the space couldn’t accommodate the many books for children and adults in every genre. A golden opportunity then presented itself in the form of a unique building in Millcreek: a former tire shop with plenty of corridors, nooks, and light, which sparked the imagination. Cindy and the Dumas family undertook a huge renovation project to turn the tire shop into a wonderland of books and gifts.

Although opening a new location in 2020 was a tremendous challenge, we have pressed forward and are surviving with the overwhelming support of our customers, both old and new. Today, you can enjoy a selection of thousands of new, used, and vintage books, games, and toys in Marissa’s brick and mortar store and online at a fraction of their original listed price. Because Marissa’s operates out of a self-owned Salt Lake City warehouse, we provide unbeatable bargains. We are committed to our community and have a special relationship with educators, librarians, and homeschooling parents. We have a new weekly discount program and are re-investing in the community by providing Classroom Grants and other literary programs in the future.