This Mobile Bookshop Proves Size Doesn’t Matter

Natalia Marendt is basically Cupid—only her arrows come wrapped in paper and ribbons elaborate enough to make Martha Stewart jealous. The self-described literary matchmaker and owner of the Teeny Tiny Bookshop, a six-by-10-foot enclosed cargo trailer outfitted to sell books on wheels, specializes in pairing readers with blind dates they’ll actually want to take home.

“I joke that I can ‘read’ people, which helps me figure out what kinds of stories they tend to fall in love with,” Marendt says. “Matching someone with a new favorite book is my absolute favorite thing.”

That instinct is what inspired the 39-year-old tech worker to open the micro-shop this past May. She thought a traditional brick-and-mortar bookstore would be too expensive, so she tricked out a repurposed LoadRunner trailer Victorian-chic style, with floral wallpaper, shelves, and cozy lighting. On any given day, Tiny is stocked with 300 to 400 books in the genres Marendt knows best: romance, romantasy (her personal favorite), historical fiction, psychological thrillers, mysteries, and literary fiction.

While all sell well, the surprise hit has been her Blind Date with a Book bundles—mystery reads wrapped in cute paper and labeled with only a few teaser clues that are designed to spark the thrill of discovery. “Books have been a constant in my life, especially during some really difficult times,” she says. “Reading offers people comfort, escape, and perspective, sometimes when they don’t even know that’s what they needed.”

You can catch the Teeny Tiny Bookshop at local markets, breweries, and coffeeshops across the metro, but during snowy stretches, the trailer snuggles in at the Corner Nook in Parker. Buoyed by the success of Tiny, Marendt co-opened the shop in November. On its shelves? Books and candles—another perfect pairing. —Allyson Reedy

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3 Cute Colorado Reads at Teeny Tiny Bookshop

 

The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover

A woman turns her mountain house into a bed-and-breakfast with the permission of her reclusive (but hot) landlord. “The MMC [male main character] is a true cinnamon roll,” Marendt says—i.e., kindhearted.

Final Goodbye by Nicole Kennedy

Paige reconnects with the boy she used to babysit (he’s all grown up) in her hometown of Alpine Peaks. It’s a great escape, Marendt says, for anyone looking for a “spicy romance with unique tropes and Colorado vibes.”

The Flossy Tale of Fernwood Bear by Nicole DeLaurier

The main character of this children’s book isn’t after romance—just clean teeth. Mr. Bear’s tale is instructional, but “also hilarious in parts, which makes it a super fun read for both the parents and the kids,” Marendt says. —Spencer Campbell

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