Tomes and Bones mobile bookshop combines a love for paws and pages

With the launch of her mobile bookstore, Tomes and Bones, Heather Ginochio is bringing together two lifelong loves.

“Dogs have always been a part of my life, and reading has always been something that I’ve loved to do,” Ginochio said. “So I opened the bookmobile with the idea of bringing the dog and the book community together.”

In the Gallatin Valley, those two communities often intersect. Montana has more bookstores per capita than any other state, according to a 2013 study by Publisher’s Weekly, with Livingston home to more writers per capita than any other city in the nation.

Dogs play an equally important role in the local fabric. Bozeman was awarded second place in Dog Fancy Magazine’s Most Dog-Friendly Towns in the U.S. ranking in 2013, and is home to half as many dogs as there are people.

Tomes and Bones reflects that blend of literary and dog-loving culture. On the outside of the trailer is Ginochio’s logo featuring her own pet, an Aussie named Edit. Inside, customers are welcome to bring their leashed dog and browse the shelves of curated books, and a small selection of specialty pet items.

“It’s a safe space for people to come and hang out,” Ginochio said. “Be with their dogs and make friends.”

For Ginochio, the business is also a much-needed pivot away from the corporate world while still keeping canines as the common thread. For years, she worked as a veterinary technician before joining a startup focused on microbiome testing for dogs and cats, and later managing feed distribution.

“My whole life has revolved around dogs,” Ginochio said.

With the versatility of four wheels, Ginochio hopes to bring the shop to farmers markets, local festivals and private events across the valley. On Saturday, she parked the trailer outside West Paw in Bozeman for the launch party, which also featured a play and training area hosted by Storm Castle Training.

“The idea was to have people come with their dogs and just hang out and read,” Ginochio said. “The mobile bookstore makes it so much easier to bring to people and bring people together.”