After 15 years of requests, the management of Secret Garden Bookshop on Market Street is caving to public pressure and starting the Secret Garden Book Club this March.

"We have a notebook this thick of people interested in a book club over the years," Secret Garden's Suzanne Perry said, holding her thumb and finger a few inches apart.

The bookstore, located at 2214 N.W. Market St., has long offered a 10 percent discount for members of other book clubs purchasing three or more copies of a book, but now it is finally offering a club of its own.

Perry said the book club is a way for Secret Garden to fully acknowledge the movement to support local businesses and keep people in the neighborhood.

"We're so lucky to be in Ballard where people get this whole 'buy local' thing," she said.

After years of waiting for a book club at Secret Garden, it does not appear customers have lost their interest.

Perry said the store already had tons of calls less than 24 hours after an announcement was made about the Secret Garden Book Club.

The club will be moderated by long-time bookseller Michelle Rhode, who volunteered herself for the position.

Rhode has a reputation for making good book recommendations, Perry said.

The club's first book will be "Olive Kitteridge" by Elizabeth Strout. Perry said for the initial meeting they wanted a book that a lot of people had already read.

She said they have not decided how future books will be chosen, but most likely Rhode will bring two or three choices for book club members to vote on.

The Secret Garden Book Club will meet at 7 p.m. every third Thursday starting March 18. The bookstore is offering a 10 percent discount on book club selections.

Though this book club is aimed at adults, Secret Garden may look into a book club for youths in the future.