Mutiny Bay Books, at the corner of Van Barr and Main Streets in Freeland, offers a large selection of fiction, non-fiction and children’s books. Bob Markey created this business because he says always wanted to have a book store. He had worked at Tower Books in Sacramento. He says, “My mother was a great reader, and she encouraged me, and I have her love of books.” He opened the store in April of 2024.
The store has a wide selection, and Bob invites people to come in with no preconceived notions of what they might want to read. He has fun steering people to books that might appeal to them. He notes that his selections include many “mass market” books, “Like what you’d find at an airport.”
After some visits to Whidbey Island, Bob and his wife decided to move here from Seattle, and he wanted something useful to do with his time. Before establishing himself as a book dealer, Bob was a case manager at Island Senior Resources.
Bob began Mutiny Bay Books by connecting with someone online who had over 10,000 books that he wanted to recycle. His wife saw a for-rent ad for the East Main Street property, and it seemed like a perfect fit for Mutiny Bay Books.
Like so many South Whidbey businesses, word-of-mouth is bringing in new customers, in addition to several regulars who visit the store often.
Bob enjoys engaging with the people who come into his store, and he adds, “It’s fun being able to steer someone to a book they didn’t know about that they will enjoy reading.”
To find out more about what is available at Mutiny Bay Books, you can give Bob Markey a call at 206-474-6246, or check out his Facebook page, or just stop by for a visit. Mutiny Bay Books, at 1638 East Main Street in Freeland is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
