Everett
By early September, the building at 2911 Hewitt Ave stood vacant, awaiting its next chapter. When Ash Hoffman steps inside, her plans for the space unfold with clarity and purpose.
Over the past twelve months, Hoffman has operated Lost the Plot as a mobile bookstore, crisscrossing communities while seeking a permanent home. That search has now concluded with a location in Everett.
“I want visitors to walk in and immediately feel at ease, like this is a place where they belong,” Hoffman explained. “Bookstores, when thoughtfully designed, naturally foster that sense of safety and self-expression.”
The idea of ownership had long appealed to her, and after two earlier ventures that didn’t take root, she launched Lost the Plot with renewed direction.
Hoffman sees literature as a vital tool for connection in today’s polarized climate. “Social media often pulls us apart, and the world feels increasingly complex,” she said. “Books offer a shared language, and a shared space, to help us understand one another.”
Her social media channels document daily life on the road: her burgundy van pulling into farmers markets, pop-ups at local cafes, and themed gatherings hosted in partnership with neighborhood businesses. The van has made appearances from Tacoma to north Everett.
Digital interaction remains part of her approach, but Hoffman emphasizes real-world gatherings, like book swaps, where strangers become conversation partners. At a recent event in Woodinville, attendees who arrived individually ended up forming small groups, sparking book clubs and new friendships.
Kaitlyn Neitman, who participated in the Woodinville swap, appreciated both the event’s atmosphere and Hoffman’s intentional curation. “Her choices consistently highlight local voices, diverse perspectives, and authors from underrepresented backgrounds,” Neitman wrote in an email. “Through Lost the Plot, I’ve encountered stories and writers I’d likely have missed otherwise.”
When sourcing inventory, Hoffman prioritizes works by marginalized creators and narratives centered on communities often left on the periphery. “There’s something special about encountering a book that mirrors your own experience, or introduces you to a world you hadn’t considered,” she said. “That spark of recognition or discovery is at the heart of what we do.”
The new storefront, spanning roughly 3,000 square feet, will enable Hoffman to broaden her catalog beyond adult fiction to include graphic novels, children’s titles, and nonfiction. She envisions the store’s layout like a supermarket, where a visitor seeking one item stumbles upon several others along the way.
“You might come in looking for the ‘milk’, say, a specific novel, but then you wander into the children’s section, pick up a graphic memoir, and end up grabbing a cookbook,” she said. “The layout invites curiosity and serendipity.”
Though the mobile operation will continue, the van experience helped refine Hoffman’s understanding of neighborhood dynamics and customer needs.
Neitman, while fond of the flexibility a traveling shop offers, is eager to visit a fixed location where browsing is always an option. “There’s something comforting in knowing the books, and the people, are there, waiting,” she said.
The proprietor of the shop also expressed excitement regarding future gatherings, noting that the expanded floor plan will provide ample room for visitors to mingle among the shelves. She believes the atmosphere will evolve into something truly magical and distinctive.
Local readers in the Everett area may already recognize the shopkeeper, as the business has previously organized community functions within the city. These have included book exchanges and temporary tattoo opportunities held at Scuttlebutt Brewing's taproom.
The new premises, situated in a former office building, feature two mezzanine levels intended for author readings and book signings. On the ground floor, conference rooms are being replaced with displays of curated titles.
An official launch date has not been announced. Those wishing to follow the store's progress can visit their social media account, @losttheplotbooks, which provides updates regarding pop-up events in Snohomish and neighboring counties.