Meet Delilah Aratani | Manager and Bookseller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Delilah Aratani and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Delilah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The Narrow Gauge Book Cooperative is a multi-owner cooperative. In 2018, the Narrow Gauge Newsstand, which hand been in Alamosa for over 40 years, announced that it was going out of business. A passionate and engaged community immediately came together to problem solve and the solution was to form a cooperative. The community fund raised, gathered book donations, and by August of 2018, the Narrow Gauge Book Cooperative opened its doors. As of January 2025, we have 111 owners who all share the common goal of promoting community and literacy in the San Luis Valley. The thought process involved was simply this: the community needs a bookstore, so we found a way to open a bookstore that has serving the community as its core goal.

The cooperative is now self-sustaining, and we’ve been able to grow through the support of our owners and our community.

What should our readers know about your business?
The Narrow Gauge Book Cooperative is unique largely because it is a cooperative, but also because all independent bookstores are unique. We carry products from local makers and artists that you wouldn’t be able to find outside of the San Luis Valley, along with curating a selection of books from local artists. We host author events, art workshops, and use our marketing platforms to promote a new local artist every month, and to raise funds each month for a different nonprofit that serves the San Luis Valley.

The books we order are unique from what you’ll find in other bookstores, because the people here have different tastes and interests, and different things will catch our eyes. Every independent bookstore has a personality all its own, and we are proud to present our quirky, eclectic, and surprising personality to the San Luis Valley, and to anyone else who finds their way through our door.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Here’s how the day would go:
1. Start early for a walk at the Alamosa Wild Life Refuge for some birdwatching and bird song. From there, come to town and get some coffee and a breakfast burrito at Milagros Coffee House, then make our way across the street to browse books at the Narrow Gauge Book Cooperative. We could hit a few different places for lunch– just look up and down Main Street and you can find Thai food, Chinese food, Mexican food, and great pizza and pub fare.

After lunch, we might take another walk along the Rio Grande River, starting at Cole Park. We could also do some antiquing at the Wild Rose or at Happy Mountain, or go thrifting at Rainbow’s End. A little bit off the beaten path, we could go find local herbs, teas, and other goods at SLV Apothecary. The proprietor, CaRi Conari, grows and forages herbs for special tea blends!

During the rest of the week, I’d make sure to hit Crestone: Elephant Cloud for coffee and the market next door for organic goodies. I’d hike along the South Crestone Creek trail and catch some leaf sightings, depending on the time of year.

I’d also be sure to visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park, and Zapata Falls. While I’m out along Highway 17, I’d be sure to stop at The Ruby Rose Bakery for delicious food and pastries.

There’s too many places to mention, honestly, and I’d be sure to take my friend to a lot of outdoor spots all around the Valley, and find food in each town.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The success of the Narrow Gauge is owed to the entire community of the San Luis Valley. Specific shout outs go to Julie Mordecai, who initiated community meetings to organize and form the cooperative; Marlena Antonnuci, who was the first manager of the cooperative (she now runs a business with her husband: Dancing Badger Bodyworks), Cathy Morin, who, as an owner, volunteered her expertise and time in bookkeeping; Jan Oen, an owner who was involved in fund raising and store operations from the beginning; Allison Cruse, who was manager for a couple years and increased our inventory and highlighted independent presses; Delilah Aratani, the current manager of the cooperative, who continues to grow and curate our books and increase our community involvement; Louisa Cheslock, who handles bookkeeping and also is a bookseller and lends her expertise in our children’s section.

Website: https://narrowgaugebooks.com

Instagram: @narrowgaugebooks

Facebook: https://facebook.com/NarrowGaugeBookCoop