Port Gamble’s No. 7 Books is a bookworm’s sanctuary. Ever since opening in October 2013, the store has attracted the excited gazes of patrons spying rare books, signed editions and sentimental stories.

“It’s gone really well,” Owner Danya Simkus said.

So well that No. 7 Books will commemorate its one-year anniversary in a couple of unique ways. One, doing what it does best by providing rare and unique literary finds. And two, a sculpture of a rhino’s head.

The rhino makes more sense as Simkus explains, and as readers may already know.

“The rhino head is as if Hemingway shot a rhino,” Simkus said. “He was a big game hunter.”

“There is a fellow who does chainsaw carving, he’s from Romania,” she said. “He does handwork with tools, too.”

The rhino will soon hang on the wall in the front room, where the most rare and unique books are kept.

Over the past year, a first-edition of Ernest Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” was one popular sight at the store. It was recently sold. Simkus was sure to grab something to replace it when she recently visited an antiquarian book sale. She brought back a rare “To Have and Have Not,” by Hemingway.

“The Hemingway was so popular last time, so I got another one,” she said. “This one comes in its own box.”

“This one has its cover, a beautiful gold cover,” Simkus said. “That gold rubs off so easily so it’s hard to find one in good shape.”

Simkus said she spent a decent chunk of change at the sale, bringing back a variety of literary finds for the store’s anniversary.

“I got a signed Vonnegut, and a signed James Baldwin,” she said. “The signed James Baldwin is very exciting for me. He was one of my favorites growing up.”

“I’m really going for signed books, which I think is the way of the future; collectibles and signed books,” Simkus said.

The books and rhino bust will be featured in the store beginning in November. She would have celebrated the anniversary sooner, but Simkus has been occupied with other businesses she owns; Simkus also is part owner of The Bookery in Kingston, and Mrs. Muir’s House of Ghost and Magic in Port Gamble. She and co-owner Rik Scott are currently busy selling Mrs. Muir’s to new owners. Once the sale is complete, Scott and Simkus plan on focusing on the bookstores full time, and may even offer writing groups at the shop.

The owners are looking forward to the next year at No. 7. On the two-year anniversary, Simkus plans on commissioning a second sculpture; the rear end of the rhino, to be placed on the wall in the room immediately behind the head.

It’s an homage to one of Simkus’ favorite TV shows.

“I love ‘The Addams Family,’” she said. “The store is so kooky, and I’m so kooky.”