An alley of books at Under Charlie's Covers.
What would you do with 18,000 books?
Lara Harrison, owner of Under Charlie’s Covers, decided to take the 18,000 books she inherited from her bibliophile father and open a bookstore in Bernalillo. It was a bold move, especially in 2009. That was the year Amazon had started putting brick and mortar bookstores out of business left and right. Several stores in Albuquerque alone had closed their doors.
It was a bold move that has paid off many times over. Not only has Under Charlie’s Covers been able to survive, it has thrived. In fact, February 2024 marks 14 years in business. Harrison and her store have also stood up against the challenges of two location moves, two phases of construction on Hwy. 550 and the Coronavirus pandemic.
The pandemic was actually a boon for the little store. With libraries closed and people enjoying free time for the first time in a long time, Under Charlie’s Covers was able to set up a curbside pickup business that did quite well and provided a service to our communities. The store also provides books for Bernalillo High School’s AP English classes, keeping all the best classics in store.
Under Charlie’s Covers is no ordinary used bookstore. It hasquite an impressive science fiction and fantasy section, a large Southwest section and a collection of unique and rare items, including a signed hardcover edition of The Song of Ice and Fire. People come from all over the Southwest searching for particular, hard to find books that Harrison manages to procure.
Under Charlie’s Covers is a gem in Bernalillo – one of those bookstores you walk into and sigh a happy sigh, knowing there’s not enough time in the world to go through every book in the place.
