Staff Picks

Rolling into Moab in 1995 via a rather leaky 1979 VW van with not much more than a fetish for rocks and an instinctual desire to explore the Colorado Plateau, David’s circuitous path to owning Back of Beyond nearly 30 years later involved running environmental education programs for nearly a decade, followed by eight years as the chief of staff to the mayor of Salt Lake City, and a couple stints as Moab’s city manager – a few of the squirrels chased back in the day.  He and his merry band of sassy chihuahuas spend as much time on the trails around Moab as the bookstore allows.

Julia Buckwalter is our Frontlist Adult Books Buyer, always on the lookout for new and “we have to have it” books emerging in the world. She was bitten by the book bug very early; her mom worked in bookstores almost all of her life, so Julia would leave school for the store until her mom finished work, sneaking cookie dough in her pocket from the cafe’s freezer to munch on while reading Roald Dahl. She’s a trained oil painter who studied in colleges on both coasts after growing up in Utah, returning to Moab in 2012. She loves to read across genres, but mostly fiction and memoir, likening her favorite books to moods and memories. Some of her favorite reading memories: “Wind Sand and Stars” by St. Exupery on bike riding breaks along the Colorado river, “The Lost Daughter” by Elena Ferrante on a deck chair with a paloma one hot summer evening, a tattered Little Free Library copy of “A Moveable Feast” by Ernest Hemingway one weekend in Manhattan, a Summer in college spent reading “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry on the campus lawn by day and soda jerking at Baby’s Diner by night. Julia spends her time away from the bookstore trail running, looking through the latest cookbooks for something she and her boyfriend will enjoy, painting landscapes and clouds, and watching reruns of Gilmore Girls (usually in that order).

Hailing from Virginia, Collee is the sidelines and gifts buyer at Back of Beyond Books. She loves to read fiction, cook, hike and take in those unforgettable desert vistas. As a cat lover (and cat mom), she strives to bring as much cat content as she can to the store to share with our beloved patrons.

Ash was born and raised in Utah, spending a lot of their childhood scrambling among the red rocks, observing wildlife, and enjoying community gatherings. Ash enjoys any genre they can crack open and adores all forms of art. Being both a consumer and a creator their whole life, they love to not only learn new methods but share theirs as well. They have spent their whole life surrounded by animals and love to greet customers’ pets from behind the register when they’re able to. They were very interested in STEM throughout their education and still value learning in their everyday life. Ash enjoys one on one interactions with customers and finds they learn the most interesting things from other people simply looking to share stories. 

Sophie arrived in the desert in the winter of 2016, and needing a break from her National Park Service job applied to the bookstore. She’s been working here ever since! Books on regional history and archaeology, science fiction and cooking are her jam. She loves rambling around the desert, identifying plants and finding archaeological sites. She has a kitty named Chicken Little (one of the cutest cats in town).

Ambers intention is to let it be simple, slow and sacred.

She is a woman who takes up space and moves with ease and assuredness.

Who is empowered through her ability to discern what feels most expansive or harmful.

She is kind to herself.

She listens to bird song and laughs at the silly things.

She smells each flower with love in her heart moving freely with forgiveness and understanding.

She knows that all she desires is coming to her in Divine timing because the universe adores her.

She welcomes support and is learning to humbly ask for help when she needs it.

She trusts that she is exactly where she needs to be, learning what needs to be learned, at this moment in her journey.

Her body is her temple, her fertile ground to feel at home in and to be herself.

She honors herself and her life by being compassionate and forgiving to her past and daily frustrations or confusions.

She knows she has so much yet to learn and is willing to keep showing up to do the work.

She knows that everything in her life works, now and forever more.

Olivia is an artist and bad, but enthusiastic, dancer.  She has a passion for rocks, animals, the night sky, trees, sandwiches, and so much more.

The world is full of wonderful things. Stay curious, friends!

I moved to Moab in 2005, partly to find wonder and joy in the canyons and desert in this beautiful place. Well, indeed, I did find what I was looking for by spending hours and hours hiking, laying in the sand, and playing with lizards.
Another great source of joy I discovered was in this beautiful little bookstore, called Back of Beyond. As much as I love nature, I also love books.
I’m very happy now to be working at the bookstore, with the incredible staff I work with. They are family.
So the best of all worlds – nature, good people, and books, books, books!