Carol Santoro began her bookselling career in 1985 when she opened Second Story Bookstore in the Wallingford Center. After ten years she sold the store, and with a partner started an online bookselling business, Books On Call. (Coincidentally, another person in Seattle had a similar idea.). From there she joined Fremont Place Book Company as a partner in 1997. Five years later she repurchased Second Story Bookstore, where she joined efforts selling new and used books with Marla Vandewater, former owner of Vandewater Books. Eventually, Carol made her way to the Phinney Ridge/Greenwood neighborhood and opened Santoro’s Books in 2005. Over the years she has hosted numerous author events, discussion groups, book release parties, and fundraisers. In May 2014, she closed the bookstore and partnered with her husband Jim, to become a wholesale service for schools and other organizations.

Carol has been working with schools since 2002 to provide books for library and classroom use. Regular clients have included Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences, Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, Explorer West, Pacific Crest School, Greenwood Elementary, and several sites participating in the Parent Child Home Program. The mission of Santoro’s Books is to provide quality books at the best possible price with a high level of personal service.