About Us

PEN & HONEY BOOKSTORE is a Latina-owned, SoCal-based indie bookstore dedicated to diversifying the literary landscape. Our cultural mosaic of authors and titles is curated alongside an exclusive collaborative coffee blend. Stories and caffeine fuel us equally, but at our core, we believe in love, aliens, decolonization, and the profound power of books to nurture empathetic connections.

MEET THE FOUNDER

Lupe Mora de Marchante is an international business strategist turned indie bookstore founder. She built a career in international market expansion for consumer goods, leveraging her multilingual background and the resilience forged through her hard-fought upbringing. She led global initiatives, shaped brand strategies, and secured exclusive distribution contracts in Ecuador, France, and India. From on-site product development in China to navigating creative and compliance efforts, she played a key role in launching brands on the international stage.

A Southern California native and Mexican-American first-generation college graduate, Lupe earned an English degree with a minor in Political Science from Texas State University—all while overcoming the immense challenges of single motherhood as a teenager. Yet, despite a thriving corporate career and global travels, her perspective shifted when she self-published a memoir-style book to process and unearth long-buried traumas. Writing became a catalyst for transformation, redefining her priorities and deepening her commitment to self-love and intentionality. In pursuit of something more meaningful, Lupe left the corporate world to create Pen & Honey Bookstore.

IMPACT INITIATIVES

As a mission-driven company, we prioritize giving back in ways that extend beyond the books we shelve. Our purpose is to contribute to a more equitable and compassionate world. We donate a portion of our earnings to organizations that uplift marginalized communities and increase access to literature through our book recycling program.

We invest in sustainability and community wellbeing as part of our ongoing commitment to meaningful impact—locally and beyond. One example is our Books & Sueños Scholarship, which cultivates equity through access and belonging. Awarded annually to exceptional students from marginalized backgrounds, the scholarship pairs monetary support with thoughtfully selected books that nurture both personal growth and practical life skills.

As of 2025, we have donated books and/or financial contributions to the following organizations:

  • Human Concern International

  • House of Ruth

  • Riverside County Child Support Services

  • Celebration Nation

  • La Verne Parent Participation Preschool

  • Inland Empire Women’s Business Center

  • Fontana Unified School District