mam's books Is the Chinatown-International District's First Asian American-Owned Bookstore

by Jenn Ngeth

Seattle's first independent Asian American bookstore has arrived in the Chinatown-International District (CID). At mam's books, the focus is to provide written works by Asian American authors and writers to the Seattle community — uplifting voices that are historically underrepresented.

"My hope is that this Asian American bookstore will be a liberating space for us to pass down our stories to the next generation," said Sokha Danh, the owner of mam's books.

Seattle has numerous independently owned bookstores, like Elliott Bay Book Company and Twice Sold Tales on Capitol Hill; Open Books: A Poem Emporium in Pioneer Square; Third Place Books in Seward Park — the list goes on. But the Chinatown-International District hasn't seen one in decades. Danh, a Cambodian American who until recently worked for a nonprofit in the CID, recognized this need and decided to take matters into his own hands.

As I stepped into this special shop, I was greeted with a sense of familiarity — stumbling upon Danh's family photos, which are carefully placed throughout the store, and an aluminum tiffin (a multitiered food container that's synonymous with Khmer/Thai/Laos Buddhist temple visits) placed up high on a bookshelf. These touches are intimate glimpses into Danh's inspiration for the bookstore: his parents. mam's books is named after Danh's father, and he explains how his parents played a huge role in his (and his six siblings') love for reading by taking them on weekly bookstore adventures — roaming freely between the aisles toward their next discovery.

The shop itself is cozy, with a couch in front of a retro TV playing old home videos in the back, and red shelves of Asian snacks, like shrimp chips and Yan Yans and soft drinks, are sold to encourage book explorers to relax and enjoy their findings in this space. I couldn't help but to browse through the books, ecstatic by the concentrated amount of Asian American writers that were on display.

Danh has a wonderful curation of fiction and nonfiction books to cater to all age groups in many languages. From children's books, like Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho; to graphic novels, like Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna (in Khmer), which tells the story of Veasna's family escaping the genocide during the Khmer Rouge; to anthologies, like Afterparties by the late Anthony Veasna So.

Danh said, "More than any other business, I believe that a bookstore has the potential to mirror the heart and soul of a neighborhood with the selection of books available on its shelves, the authors and writers that it supports, and with the type of conversions that it helps spark between community members."

A book can help expand the human mind — allowing for greater understanding and connection. Through his bookstore, with future events like open mics and locally curated pop-ups in the works, Danh hopes it will become a space within the CID that'll help the community form strong bonds, displaying the continual resilience of this neighborhood.

On my next visit, I'll be snagging my own copy of What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo. What will your next read be?

Take a stroll through this historical neighborhood and pick up a book at mam's on 608 Maynard Ave. S. It's open on Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

📸 Featured Image: mam's books is the first Cambodian American-owned bookstore in the Chinatown-International District. (Photo: Jenn Ngeth)