Our Story

The Full Story

Lauren Woods and her husband Andrew Bertaina have been reading and celebrating local DC-area authors and books for years. They are also local authors. In June 2023, Andrew launched a local monthly reading series, which he and Lauren began hosting from their Brightwood home in DC. Writers themselves, Lauren and Andrew also wanted to provide a place for local writers and artists to share their work in an intimate setting. Thus, the 804 Literary Salon was born. Out of these monthly literary salons came a realization that DC has an enormous supply of local literary talent and that the area’s books deserve more attention. 

Then in early 2024, Lauren spotted a vending machine in a picture of a European train station and said to herself, Hey, why can’t we do that here? But instead of just any books, we should sell books by local living authors. Before she could stop herself, she applied for a grant from the Awesome Foundation for the idea, won, and then launched a Kickstarter for the rest. She did not know that you have to raise the full goal amount on Kickstarter or you don’t get any of the money! If she had, she wouldn’t have aimed so high. But she was lucky she didn’t know this, because in the end, some 75+ supporters donated to help her purchase the first book vending machine. Then she went to work on purchasing the machine, working with a talented local artist and writer, Billy Howell, on the design, securing the location and licensing, and founding LitBox as a DC-based LLC.

Together, with writers Nick Rees-Gardner and Llalan Fowler, they also launched Night Gingko Press in 2025, a new DC-based literary press, which will publish its first print anthology of DC-area authors in 2025..

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Lauren and Andrew wanted to share their love for the DC area's talented local writers and their books with the rest of you. It’s as simple as that.