A neuroscientist, an aspiring court reporter, and a streaming service project manager.

These are not characters for a "walk-into-a-bar" joke, but rather, three people who changed their career trajectories in order to open independent bookstores on Long Island.

Catarina Lemos of Global Language Reads in Port Jefferson, Krista Lochren of Book & Mortar in Mount Sinai, and Jennifer McAuliffe of Northport Books in Northport have all opened their shops in the past 12 months.

In separate interviews, they each discussed what drove them to start their businesses.

WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND

Three Long Islanders have opened "brick and mortar" bookstores in the past year.

Catarinia Lemos of Global Language Reads in Port Jefferson, Krista Lochren of Book & Mortar in Mount Sinai, and Jennifer McAuliffe

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