Otowi Station Bookstore and Science Museum Shop closed its doors a few days ago having served Los Alamos/White Rock residents and visitors for almost 20 years.

Before that, its parent store, Ojo de Dios Bookstore, served our community many more years.

Bart and I purchased Ojo de Dios in 1990 from Harold Burnett and expanded it to our brand new Otowi Station site in 1993.

We owned Otowi until late 2005, when Peggy Durbin and Michele Vochosky took over – encountering a very rough business climate.

The store is enveloped in memory. For Bart and me in particular:

• Wonderful employees –full time, part time, student – who gave time, energy, and support. (You will always be family.)
• The old-fashioned courtesy of most of our customers.
• A smiling Danny Doss bustling in to sign extra copies of his Charlie Moon mysteries.
• The midnight theme music, outside night lighting, and around the corner customer line of a new Harry Potter book sale.
• Christmas Eve, when we kept the store open as long as shoppers (usually men) showed up for last minute emergency purchases.
• Two giggling little girls copying cookie recipes on a Sunday morning.

I could go on and on … as could Peggy and Michele and Alan and Arlene.

Otowi Station, this town will miss you!