Fall - 2022

Carmel Valley Bookshop Owners Create a Community-Minded Space B Y R ENE E B R I NCK S M aria Roden purchased her Carmel Valley home a few years ago, shortly before meeting Jane Pakis at a neighborhood party. As they became friends, the two discovered a shared interest in books, boutiques and bringing people together. In March 2021, they opened Olivia & Daisy bookstore in Carmel Valley Village. “I’d missed talking about books and having a shop in my own community,” says Roden, who previously owned a San Francisco Bay Area bookstore. “Jane is an interior designer and a very talented artist who had also had a lifestyle shop in Chicago. There wasn’t a shop like this in the village, so we thought we’d give it a go.” Named for two miniature donkeys that live at the Roden residence (and sometimes make surprise store visits), Olivia & Daisy carries a frequently updated selection of books, toys and gifts. The airy store is organized into themed displays that pair books with corresponding items like French scarves, fair-trade nursery goods, gardening tools and organic cotton tea towels. Olivia & Daisy hosts author events and fund- raisers for local nonprofits, too. “The biggest reward has been meeting our neighbors,” says Pakis, who also sells paintings, cards and gifts at the store. “We both wanted to be a bigger part of the community.” For more information, visit www.oliviaanddaisy. com or call 831/620-9290. SHORT CUTS NEIGHBORS Jane Pakis and Maria Roden opened Olivia & Daisy on Center Street in Carmel Valley in 2021, bringing their shared love of books, boutiques and community to the village. 78 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 2 Photo: Randy Tunnell