As a community college English instructor, Monica discovered that a lot of her students couldn't remember the last time they had read a book for fun.

 

To bring back the joy of reading, Monica gathered favorite book titles from her diverse students, and from that began curating popular novels for her students to read for pure pleasure. City of Thieves, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and The Woman in the Window proved to be shining student favorites; even the most reluctant readers couldn't stop turning the pages. And with that, Monica discovered that she loves to collect and share wonderful books with others, as much as she loves reading herself.

​

The idea of a little traveling bookshop then formed as a unique way to put good books into people's hands throughout the Seattle area. And the name "Blue Kettle" was inspired by the sight of a pretty, soothing tea kettle on a stove, with Monica's young son reading James and the Giant Peach in the background.  A cup of hot tea and a book just seemed go together.

​

Eventually, we turned our homebase office into a little cozy brick-and-mortar micro-bookstore and event space. We host author events, staff-led book clubs, and more.

 

What sets us apart from a big-box bookstore is our super-curated selection packed into a small-footprint space, with books cleverly categorized in a way that's accessible and relatable.  Along with the best books, we proudly sell bookish gifts emphasizing local and diverse talent. 

​