History of Pegasus Books

Matt Wyse opened Pellucidar Fine Books on Shattuck Avenue in 1969, and Pendragon at the corner of College Avenue and Ocean View in 1970, both carrying used books and newspapers. Pendragon remains in this location today, but has expanded to three times the original floorspace. During this time Wyse’s wholesale company, Western Book Distributors, was expanding from cramped garage space to full warehouse and offices.

In 1983, Pellucidar migrated from Shattuck Avenue to Solano Avenue and became Pegasus Books, still in its original location. In 1991, a Pegasus store was opened in Walnut Creek, then moved in 1996 to Shattuck Avenue near the UC campus in Berkeley, where it continues to grow and thrive.

Amy Thomas bought the Pegasus and Pendragon bookstores from Founder Matt Wyse in 1995. She is a founding board member of the local independent business alliance Buy Local Berkeley, and has served on the executive board of the non-profit River of Words as well as the ABA’s American Booksellers for Free Expression. Amy has served as a boardmember for two Berkeley Business Improvement Districts and has twice served as president of the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association.

Photograph of Amy Thomas, Owner of Pegasus Books, taken in 1981. Thomas is standing at a sales counter holding a book, with calendars (dated 1981) hanging on a wall behind her.

 

*Pictured: President for Life Amy Thomas, 1981