Giving the only bookshop in town the upgrade it deserves.

Nestled in the slower-paced, family-friendly outskirts of the San Francisco Bay Area, Benicia’s First Street is a charming downtown filled with small boutiques, delightful bakeries, and the town’s only bookstore, Bookshop Benicia. A local poet once said they could "receive a college education from the bookshop window,” a sentiment we hold close to heart. After all, a town isn’t truly a town without a bookstore (and a library).

Bookshop Benicia is a locally owned, independent bookstore proudly serving Benicia, Vallejo, and the greater Solano County community since 1993.

From the very first day we opened our doors, our goal has been simple: to be a true neighborhood bookstore and a welcoming space for locals and visitors alike. We carry a thoughtfully curated selection of new and used books for readers of all ages, along with toys, stationery, and other delightful finds. What makes Bookshop Benicia special is the people behind the counter. We are here because we love books, and even more, we love sharing that passion with others. We believe in the power of stories to inspire, challenge, and connect us. As a small, independent business, we also believe that every community deserves a bookstore that reflects its unique spirit. A place where people come together, ideas are exchanged, and personal connections are made.

Bookshop Benicia is dedicated to our customers and our community.

  • Role

    UX/UI Designer

  • Timeline

    8 Weeks

  • Skills

    User Research, Usability Testing, Graphic Design, Prototyping

  • Tools

    Figma, Canva, indielite (ecommerce site), book manager (ecommerce site)

Problem

The current Bookshop Benicia website was outdated, difficult to navigate, and did not reflect the warm, community-driven experience of the physical store. Customers were frustrated by outdated inventory listings, lack of easy event discovery, and an overall experience that did not reflect the personal touch of the bookstore.

Solution Impact

  • A real-time inventory system (improvement made by platform change)

  • A modernized, intuitive design

  • Enhanced vent and book group pages

  • A streamlined online shopping experience (navigation customized to the everyday customer needs)

  • A cohesive color palette and branding, something we’ve never had before.

  • Storefront illustration to bring the in person atmosphere to the online experience

User Personas

Regular customers who have been around for 30+ years who visit at least once a month

Customers who visit on a weekly basis and check our social media/website regularly

New customers who are (or newly) local and just getting into reading and found our bookshop online

Real Project, Real Challenges

This was not a theoretical project. Bookshop Benicia already had an existing website that needed immediate updates, even as a full redesign was underway. While managing those live updates, I also designed a new website to launch on a different e-commerce platform.

The platform change itself solved key logistical issues like real-time inventory syncing and provided a much more flexible foundation for customization and design improvements.

  • The current platform doesn’t allow for much customization or personality. I was limited to changing a few colors and updating text formatting and wording. Even so, those seemingly small adjustments made a noticeable difference in user experience.

  • I’m so excited for this new website to go live. I was able to make thoughtful changes that solve real customer pain points, especially the addition of live inventory updates. I customized the navigation bar and redesigned the homepage layout to make everything easier to find. Most of all, this version finally feels like us. It’s as cozy and inviting as the physical shop our community knows and loves.

Research

Background

I began with a survey and user interviews targeting booksellers, librarians, educators, and frequent bookstore customers. I also conducted a competitive analysis of existing resources like PEN America’s Index, ALA’s lists, and the Banned Books Week website.

Methods & Key Findings

Methods:

  • User interviews (3 personas: Gen Z bookseller, former teacher-turned-bookseller, 67-year-old shop owner)

  • Online surveys

  • Secondary research (competitor analysis, usability audit of current resources)

Key Findings: 

  1. Users want to search books by why they were banned, not just when or where.

  2. Information is often scattered and lacks historical/social context.

  3. Users prefer a simple interface with filters and a predictive search bar.

Prototype Testing

Approach: 

  • Limited-resource usability testing with clickable prototypes. I asked 3 participants (mirroring my personas) to complete tasks like:

    • Find a book banned for LGBTQ+ content in 2022

    • Filter books banned in Texas for race-related themes

    • Save/bookmark a frequently discussed book

Success Metrics: 

  • Tasks completed without error

  • Comments on ease of use

  • Suggestions for improvement

Findings:

  1. Users loved the expandable summaries and social context

  2. Some confusion around combining multiple filters—this led to clearer visual hierarchy in the final version

  3. “Recently Viewed” and “Save for Later” features were praised and prioritized

Banned Books Search Engine Version History

  • 1. Wireframe

  • 2. Testing colors with original logo

  • 3. High Fidelity (Version 1)

  • 4. High Fidelity Final Version

  • 5. Search Engine & Index

Design

Wireframes: Created low-fidelity wireframes and tested for usability.

  • Branding & UI Elements:

    • Color Palette: Olive green, eucalyptus green, warm neutrals (reflecting the shop’s candle scent and atmosphere).

    • Typography: A mix of serif and sans-serif for a timeless, welcoming feel.

    • Hero Image: Storefront illustration to bring the in person atmosphere to the online experience

  • Final Deliverables:

    • High-fidelity interactive prototype.

    • Refined UI with mobile-first responsiveness.

What I’m most proud of

Transforming an outdated, underutilized website into an engaging, community-driven platform that truly reflects the heart of Bookshop Benicia has been one of the most meaningful parts of this project. Over the years, the store and its community have evolved in incredible ways, but the website hasn't kept pace. In the physical shop, the windows and displays are always changing, (highlighting diverse authors, new voices, and community-driven reads) but the old site didn’t capture that same warmth or vibrancy.

Many customers and community members didn’t even realize how active our book club community was, despite having at least six groups meeting every month. Updating the website to reflect the in-person experience, making it easier to discover events, and showcasing the dynamic spirit of the store was a critical part of reconnecting the digital presence with the real-world community.

One of the parts I’m most proud of was getting to personally illustrate the storefront to use as the hero image. This became a visual anchor that brings a piece of the physical bookstore experience to everyone who visits online.