From the day they were wed at just 18 years old, Karena and Jared Fagan shared a dream of owning their own bookstore.

Not only has that dream lived on across 20-plus years of marriage, but it is now just weeks away from being fulfilled as Finds the Path Books prepares to welcome “book lovers, gamers and artists of all backgrounds” to downtown Port Orchard.

Karena has been a book lover throughout her life and has previously worked as a bookseller in Santa Cruz, CA. She credits her mom as the one to encourage her passion for books and giving her a drive to share that passion with others. “It’s my love language,” she said. “If I’ve recommended a book to you, it’s a gift.”

The pair had become accustomed to moving around before landing in Port Orchard roughly two years ago, making it hard to bring that bookshop to life. However, the persistent late-night talks and a love for their new community is what Jared said finally convinced them to set up shop. “It just kind of continued throughout the years,” he said. “She got jobs at bookstores, and after many many years of working the military and working tech, I was like, ‘You know, I’m kinda done with the rat race.’”

Find the Path Books, a name inspired by a Dungeons and Dragons spell, will be opening next to Brick House 714 Bar and Grill and will feature a wide genre of books, games and more as they attempt to cater to the interests of the local audiences of Port Orchard and Kitsap County. Comics are also on the table for the new shop, which would be good news for any fans of the recently closed Jak Aktion Comics and Games.

A big part of planning the new shop was also providing a space for book clubs, as well as a gaming space for those in or interested in the D&D community. “It’s a part of who we are,” Jared said. “We wanted it to be a safe space for everybody.”

Karena added she hopes to push the names of local authors and products that are not always given the recognition she feels they deserve. “Publishing isn’t great about publicizing their lower, other (names). They’re not great at putting those dollars at people who are disenfranchised,” she said.