Success Story: A Seat at the Table Books

Creating a Welcoming Third Space: A Seat at the Table Books Brings Community Together in Elk Grove

Location: Northern California | Sacramento County | Elk Grove

Business Type: Bookstore/Cafe

Small Business Center: California Capital Women’s Business Center

Assistance Received: Business Planning

California State Assembly District: 10

California State Senate District: 8

Visit A Seat at the Table Books online

When Emily Autenrieth’s family moved to Elk Grove with her children at ages 2 and 7, she noticed something was missing. Having lived in Alaska most of her life before spending two years in Hayward for her spouse’s master’s degree, Emily had always appreciated visiting her siblings in Portland. There she found bookstores, cafes, and third spaces that were welcoming to families, including neurodivergent people. Elk Grove lacked places like this, along with queer spaces.

Before opening A Seat at the Table Books, Emily was a work-from-home entrepreneur doing freelance editing for organizations like the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s engineering and community health divisions. She helped write, edit, update, and bring online the first manual for mental health services in remote Alaska.

“My late dad was an award-winning engineer and entrepreneur in Alaska, where I grew up, and managed to be awarded Engineer of the Year in 2002 and make the cover of the national trade magazine while his company, AMC Engineers, was also receiving awards for being a family-friendly place to work,” shared Emily. “As my ten-year-old also has a business already (dog sitting), it appears that entrepreneurship runs in the family! I am proud to carry my dad’s legacy.”

Emily’s entrepreneurial spirit and her sense that something was missing in her community ultimately led to her inspiration. “I had a ‘lightning strike’ moment where I realized Elk Grove needed a bookstore/cafe with space for everyone… and I knew that had to be my purpose when I named it A Seat at the Table Books, after the mission of giving everyone a seat at the table.”

The scope of this business was large, curating a bookstore where people can see themselves in books, serving great eco-roasted coffee from an aligned small business, offering a quiet room and play area, hosting a very wide range of events for all ages and interests, and generally creating a third space where everyone is welcome.

With zero prior interest in running a brick-and-mortar business, particularly one of this scale, Emily realized she could use some support.  “I needed someone to help me frame all of this in a business plan that would make sense financially, give me a solid road map, and convince a landlord to accept me.”

That’s when she connected with the California Capital Women’s Business Center, and began working with her business advisor, Natasha Palumbo. “Natasha gave me a meaningful combination of confidence-building energy, concrete advice, and solid feedback,” shared Emily. “She understood my mission and helped me zero in on achieving it.”

With Natasha’s support, Emily crafted a complete business plan and was able to sign a lease in Elk Grove. Today, the bookstore/cafe serves as a welcoming third space for the community, offering a carefully curated book selection, quality coffee, family-friendly spaces including a quiet room and play area, and diverse events for all ages and interests.

Go to A Seat at the Table Books to learn more about their mission, and enjoy a good read, some great coffee, and a welcoming environment when you visit.

California Capital FDC hosts a variety of small business support services including, the Women’s Business Center (WBC), the APEX Accelerator, and the Sacramento Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC). If you’re an entrepreneur in the Sacramento area looking to develop a comprehensive business plan and secure financing for your venture, connect with California Capital FDC for support.

The images for this story were taken by Christina Best Photography, also a small business serving the Elk Grove/Sacramento Area community. See more of Christina’s work here and here.

12/2/2025