When Octopus Bookshop owners Michele Dubois and Renee Seinfeld stumbled upon the name, they knew they had found the perfect one.

“We’re always reading books and juggling multiple books at a time, so the image of an octopus came to mind,” Dubois said. “Plus, they’re smart and coastal.”

The image is fitting for the new bookstore, which opened on Main Street in Kennebunk last month, and is already drawing customers in.

“The customer reactions and responses have been amazing,” Seinfeld said. “Everyone is so gracious.”

The duo weren’t always bookstore owners. For many years, they owned and operated an insurance company together.

But Dubois and Seinfeld have always been avid readers, even creating a podcast called, “You’ve Got to Read This!” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have always loved books,” Seinfeld said.

When it came to selling the insurance company and opening Octopus Bookshop, Seinfeld said, “You only live once.”

For months, the pair traveled up and down the Eastern Seaboard looking for a space to buy and fill with books. They even considered moving back to Seinfeld’s hometown of Chicago, where real estate is cheaper and more available.

“We knew that in order to stay afloat as a bookshop, we’d have to own the space,” Dubois said.

Eventually, they landed on 41 Main St. in downtown Kennebunk, and immediately knew the space was perfect for them.

All throughout the spring, the pair worked on creating the bookshop of their dreams. The design part was fairly easy, as they had been making mental notes on what they would want their bookshop to look like for years.

“Every time we travel, we always visit bookstores,” Dubois said. “We’ve learned what we like and don’t like.”

Curating the selection of books was more of a process. It was both fun and time consuming, they said.

“I would wake up at like 3 in the morning and Renee was at the computer hunting for books,” Dubois said.

Through the use of platforms like Publishers Weekly and Goodreads, and knowing what books they personally like, Dubois and Seinfeld eventually curated a large selection of books they are proud of.

“People love our curated selections,” Dubois said. “It’s the biggest compliment.”

At Octopus Bookshop, readers can find everything from nonfiction to international fiction, to mystery, to historical fiction and nonfiction, to children’s books.

Dubois can usually be found reading memoirs and literary fiction, while Seinfeld is an avid fantasy reader.

No matter what customers like to read, Dubois and Seinfeld hope they can find it at Octopus Bookshop.

“When you pass through the doors of Octopus Bookshop, we welcome you to browse in peaceful solitude,” they said. “Take time. Be patient. Savor the experience of book browsing.”