Puerto Rican Family of Achievers Buys Second Bookstore

In 1998, as a result of the devastation of Hurricane George, many Puerto Ricans were left without power and other services for two weeks. During that time, members of the Muñoz family had the opportunity to consider and reconsider some of their life choices. The five children of an anesthesiologist and an administrator included two physicians, one medical resident, and two lawyers. According to eldest son Carlos J. Muñoz, M.D., who is a busy anesthesiologist, his sister Nuria Muñoz announced at a family dinner that she no longer wanted to practice law. The family then discussed various business opportunities until someone mentioned the possibility of opening a bookstore.

Paseo del Libro boasts a beautiful wall of glass overlooking the mountains and San Juan(above) and colorful paintings and sculptures (below).

Speaking to BTW between surgeries at el Hospital Hermanos Melendez, Muñoz said, "Throughout our childhood our parents were always very enthusiastic about books and reading and had many books in our house. At that time San Juan only had two or three bookstores. From the point of view of a business, dealing with books was something we all liked to do. [Soon after that conversation] Nuria went around and found a space in a shopping center on the outskirts of town. It had a beautiful wall of glass overlooking the mountains and the city."

The Muñoz family members pooled their money, rented the space, and hired an architect to make the most of the views and the 3,000-square-foot store. The family began work on the bookstore and café in late September and opened in time for Christmas, 1998. The store, Paseo del Libro, has been consistently recognized as one of the best in the city and has been named "bookstore of the year" in local reader polls several times. Muñoz, who is president of Paseo del Libro, said that the bookstore was an instant success -- something he attributed, in part, to its ability to import books from Spain more quickly via airmail instead of by ship. As bookstore owners, the Muñoz family found that the people of San Juan read more than they had previously thought, including all types of fiction and children's books. At Paseo del Libro, about 60 percent of the inventory is in Spanish and the rest is in English.

Two years after Paseo del Libro's opening, the first Borders store was built in San Juan at the largest mall in the Caribbean (there are currently two Borders bookstores in San Juan). Muñoz noted that Paseo del Libro's sales dipped about 10 or 15 percent for six months after the chain store opened, but they have now stabilized. Despite the competition from Borders and the dramatic weakening of the island's economy after September 11, 2001, the Muñoz family set its sights on another bookstore.

The popular Castle Books, founded in 1996, was up for sale, and on September 15, 2003, members of the Muñoz family took over ownership of the store. The 2,700-square-foot booktore is located next to a Starbuck's café in another of San Juan's busy shopping malls. Business at the new store has been brisk. It includes a larger percentage of books in English, including American bestsellers, books on architecture and art, and boasts the Muñoz's special expertise in the Spanish market.

Both bookstores have a very full calendar of events: book signings, from general fiction to political commentators; weekly poetry sessions; and comMuñity activities. According to Muñoz, the owners are now challenged to integrate operations at the two stores while letting each keep its own distinct personality. Nunia Muñoz is now the director of operations for both stores; brother Javier Muñoz, M.D., who helped start the store while a medical resident, now helps order fantasy books; sister Maria is a lawyer who works part-time at Paseo del Libro.

Carlos Muñoz enjoys concluding his stressful days at the hospital with a trip to the bookstore. "It's my after-work therapy," he said. I love to sit down and take a coffee. People ask me, Is this a good book? I have to keep up with two professions." --Nomi Schwartz