Once Upon a Tome

When a midlife itch prompted Tome on the Range’s owner Nancy Colalillo to relocate from New Jersey to New Mexico in 1994, the lack of a general interest bookstore in a town 65 miles from anywhere seemed like a niche that needed filling. As the infamous book-giving aunt of seven, she just couldn’t see herself making a 130-mile round trip for each birthday, graduation, and Christmas present.

So she decided to open her own bookstore. After months of renovating an historic building in Old Town, Las Vegas, Tome on the Range opened its doors on May 24, 1996, boasting hand-selected inventory, carefully crafted displays, and top-notch customer service. Nancy opened a second store in May of 2003, appropriately named Second Tome Around, which featured used books and a café. Second Tome Around held many of Tome’s programs and events designed to meet regional needs.

During the spring of 2008, Nancy made a bold decision. She combined both Tomes into one large building. After many weeks of intense work, the new Tome on the Range opened its doors again, still a small town bookstore, but with more space, and best of all—more books! Today, Tome on the Range is home to an extensive selection of regional titles, an incredible children’s department (complete with dozens of our popular hand puppets), and thousands of wonderful books. After 17 years, we are proud to be regarded by residents and visitors alike as a truly exceptional and upbeat meeting place for all book lovers. Tome on the Range continues to improve, but remains focused on the things that matter to us and our customers—a discriminating, ever-changing inventory of books and gifts, stimulating events for readers of all ages, and terrific customer service from knowledgeable booksellers.