Today we’d like to introduce you to Coh & Ollypa Empty Shelf
Hi Coh & Ollypa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Empty Shelf is a bookstore and gift shop opened in August by the couple Coh and Ollypa, located in a historic building in the Mission District of San Gabriel. This building previously housed the Mission Art Center, a store that specialized in framing paintings and selling art supplies.
Empty Shelf is themed around books, art, craft, and community. It’s not just a place to sell items but also a space where people can enjoy a special moment surrounded by great books and gift items.
The concept of the store is simple: “Express your creativity on these empty shelves.” There is a curation space where local creators can display and sell their handmade works, much like a gallery, allowing them to showcase their creativity. For consumers, it’s a bookstore and gift shop, but for creators, it’s a platform to exhibit their works.
We are committed to providing physical space for creators and promoting local participation.
Since our opening in August, it’s been about two months, and over 40 participants have offered a variety of products, including zines, jewelry, hand creams, self-published books, small paintings, leather goods, a collection of items from South America, postcards and greeting cards by illustrators and graphic designers, linocuts, handmade small bags, stickers, keychains, magnets, and t-shirts. We also host weekly events such as craft workshops, live music performances, and poetry readings. We’ve had creators from Japan and an Ethiopian poet join us, which has been really exciting.
We believe this randomness is essential.
It’s easy to avoid looking at genres you’re not familiar with, and even harder to think about what’s next to the shelf. But randomness gives you the chance to wonder what’s beside you.
When it comes to learning something new or gaining a fresh perspective, we believe it starts with even a slight exposure to the unknown. If you only look at the world through the genres defined by others, it can lose its intrigue. We believe finding connections between different things and genres is essential for discovering new things and perspectives, and that’s what we call imagination.
We also aim to attract a diverse range of customers, and fortunately, we’ve seen people from high school students to seniors visit our store. We love art stores, manga and anime shops, and hipster stores, but sometimes they can feel a bit intimidating. For those not used to books, bookstores can feel the same. We believe the random selection at Empty Shelf is what keeps it an open space for everyone.
When someone picks up something unfamiliar, they’re likely to decide whether they like it or not during the process of making it familiar. But that’s just a result. What we want to create is a place that offers the opportunity to experience the unknown. For that, we first needed empty shelves.
About Coh and Ollypa:
Coh is from Japan. Sometimes he writes poetry and plays the piano. Ollypa is an MRI technologist from West Covina, and she loves crafts and fostering creativity in children. The overall concept of the store was shaped by Coh, but the two of them have developed the idea of Empty Shelf together. They share a passion for enjoying art and doodles without being constrained by genres and curate the store with a focus on randomness and openness.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
‘Starting a bookstore in the early 21st century? Sounds a bit crazy,’ some might say.
But remember, ‘The only limits are the ones you create for yourself.’
As you know, we’re big fans of 2. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
・Business Plan
・Financial Plan
・Book Selection
・Advertisement and Marketing
・Event Plan and Coordination
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
The concept of being surrounded by different objects and genres is deeply influenced by Coh’s time spent living in Kyoto during his student years through his mid-30s. Kyoto, the former capital of Japan for over 1200 years before the capital was moved to Tokyo, is known for its craftsmanship and is a place where you can feel the traditional culture of Japan in that context, with many historical buildings registered as World Heritage Sites. However, Kyoto also has many universities, and especially after World War II, it developed as a center for underground and counterculture. While not as diverse as California, Kyoto definitely offers an experience of eternal hybrid and diversity in cultural creativity. Visiting shops that have been selling washi paper, ceramics, or Japanese sweets for over 100 to 300 years, listening to records at jazz cafes, learning about unique selections of books at many independent bookstores, exploring Tower Records and Virgin Megastore for world music and rare records, reading a variety of books at large bookstores like Junkudo, Maruzen, and Yamamuradou, enjoying new and old artworks at museums, wandering through countless secondhand bookstores, and spending long hours reading books at cafes were all part of his daily experience. At night, you could watch dance performances, join open mics, and then spend hours at a 24-hour café discussing art with friends. All of this was within walking distance.
Ollypa, with her background as an MRI technologist and her passion for nurturing creativity—especially in children—adds warmth and inclusivity to our store. Together, we envision Empty Shelf as more than just a place to buy things; it’s a space to engage with the unknown, to build connections, and to enjoy a break from the routine. We aim to create special moments—whether through a weekly craft workshop, a live music performance, or a casual chat sparked by a shared interest in the quirky assortment on our shelves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://empty-shelf.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emptyemptyshelf/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Empty-Shelf/61552843781944/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/empty-shelf-san-gabriel
Image Credits
Some pictures taken by Mary Nagakawa
Let us know which do you want to use.
