On October 19, Ten Trees Books, Natick’s community bookstore, began the process of moving to a new, permanent location across the street from its original space in the Hive. With weeks of planning by the store’s owner, Kimberly Rickard, and lots of help from the Natick community, the store was able to reopen on Thursday of the same week to a delighted town. 

“This is a happy place, [and] people like being here,” says Rickard. “We got the word out that we were moving, and people just started asking, ‘Can we help?’” This resulted in what Rickard deemed a “Book Brigade.” During the Book Brigade, Natick residents and other bookstore-goers spent their Sunday morning helping to move over 8000 books across the street.

Rickard also notes the role of the Hive, a business “incubator” that provides a space for business owners to test out an idea, as instrumental in making the move—and the bookstore—possible. Ten Trees spent a highly successful year at the Hive, which allowed Rickard and her family to invest in moving the store into its own permanent space. “The owners of the building really believed that the community could use a bookstore,” she says. “It was very expensive, which it wasn't when we first moved into the Hive.” 

Still, she believes it was worth it. The store got plenty of offers to help with the move, and is now seeing many Natick residents dropping in to check out the new space.

A Community Story

When Rickard first opened the bookstore, she was determined to create a spot where every Natick resident could find a home. Having lived in Natick for eight years, she understands the importance of the town’s community and how necessary small businesses like hers are for it to thrive.

As a result, she chose to name the bookstore after ten diseased ash trees in Natick Common that had been cut down. The trees were eventually replaced with a diverse range of species. For Rickard, this story symbolized a new beginning and an opportunity for growth, exactly what she wanted the bookstore to be. 

The store is filled with tree-related decorations that create a cozy, welcoming feeling. With numerous sections devoted to literary fiction, romance, fantasy, mystery, horror, middle grade, children’s books, young adult, and non-fiction, Ten Trees is well equipped to host events geared towards readers of all different age groups and interests. These events include Romance, Literary Fiction, and Classics book clubs for adults, as well as Storytime Saturdays for younger kids and a Teen Book Club. Sign-ups for all events can be found at tentreesbooks.com.

Hopes for the Future

Rickard’s goals for the bookstore are to bring the community together and create a shared space for people to express their love of books. She says, “Reading can transform your life. It can help you go places you never actually will go, and learn things beyond what school can teach you.” She wants to inspire a love for reading and do anything she can to make it easier for the Natick community. 

With her cozy store and extensive knowledge of Natick’s reading community, Rickard is well on her way to making her dreams a reality. The Natick Nest wishes her and her family good luck with their store, and encourages every teen reader to stop by.