The Book Nook is truly a hidden gem in Hilmar — both figuratively and literally.

The book store, which just opened in May, is located in the office building of The Vault Storage facility at 19704 Bloss Ave. It’s easy to miss the book shop as the new business only has a small sign near the door and a sandwich board announcing its location.

“People go by and they say, ‘no, that’s the storage unit, this can’t be it.’ So, I’m having a huge sign made right now to put out in front permanently that will notify everybody that we’re also in there,” said The Book Nook owner Connie Bivens.

Once inside, however, the store is a true book-lover’s paradise, which was exactly the vibe that Bivens was looking to create.

“I’ve always wanted to open up a bookstore, because I absolutely love, love books,” she said.

Bivens shared that her and her husband used to own a cabin in Arnold and she would go up twice a year for the Calaveras County Friends of the Library book sale and purchase dozens and dozens of books.

“We had quite the collection. My husband and I are both readers, and my sister also loves to read, so we all had a ton of books. I kept saying, okay, at some point I’m going to open up a bookstore,” she said.

When the storage unit business she and her husband own transitioned into a fully biotech access facility, the former office area was left vacant.

The book store is also a way for Bivens to remember her daughter, Erica Alise Russell, who died at the age of 29 last year due to a sudden aneurism. She left behind her husband, Colin, and toddler son, Oliver.

“She loved books, and she loved to read too. She always picked on me about how many books I had, and was I ever going to get to the point where I could read them all. So, I think she would very much have approved and loved it.”

Bivens said the response to The Book Nook so far has been “wonderful, absolutely fabulous.”

One of the shop’s first events was a book signing for local author Marisa Silva Rocha. Her children’s book, “Avó Silva’s Dairy House” is an illustrated story about family and heritage. The book is a featured display at The Book Nook.

Bivens has plans for more book signings and other events.

“We’re going to start up a book club in the fall. We’re going to do mystery reads, which is where you wrap up a book and don’t put the title, just the genre and maybe a quote from the book; and then people buy it and it’s a surprise. We’re going to do bag a book, which is where we fill a bag full of books for a flat price. And we’re going to do a paint and sip there as well, but we’re going to save all that for the fall,” she said.

The Book Nook’s hours have been fluctuating since it opened. The most recent hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Check the store’s Facebook and Instagram pages for updated hours and events.