Created for readers who believe books are invitations into the wider world.
Rooted in Indianapolis, Perasma brings together travel-inspired books, thoughtful programming, and shared experiences designed to help people become well read and well traveled, whether their journeys unfold across continents or within the pages of a book. We are excited to be opening our doors in Spring 2026!
The word perasma comes from the Greek for passage or crossing.
A fitting name for a place shaped by movement between ideas, cultures, and ways of being. We believe reading is a form of travel, and travel is a form of education. Our work lives at the intersection of story and experience: where literature sparks conversation, conversation leads to connection, and curiosity becomes a reason to gather.
Curiosity
Curiosity is the starting point of everything we do. It guides the books we choose, the conversations we host, and the experiences we create. We invite readers to ask questions, explore unfamiliar ideas, and remain open to the world around them.
Respect & perspective
Stories carry the imprint of the places and people they come from. We seek out literature shaped by diverse cultures, histories, and voices, approaching each with respect and a desire to understand perspectives beyond our own.
inspired travel
Travel, for us, begins with curiosity and continues with care. We approach travel planning as an extension of storytelling, encouraging journeys that are shaped by culture, context, and a desire to engage thoughtfully with the world.
community
Perasma is built for gathering. Through shared reading, dialogue, and experience, we create space for people to connect with one another, exchange ideas, and feel at home in conversation.
Our Founder
Perasma Book Company was founded by Sara Shelley, a lifelong reader and traveler drawn to the ways stories shape how we understand the world and one another.
With a professional background spanning healthcare, technology, and genetic counseling, Sara has spent her career listening closely: to people’s stories, to moments of uncertainty, and to the details that give experiences meaning. That attentiveness now lives at the heart of Perasma.
For Sara, books and travel have always been intertwined. Reading has been a way to explore unfamiliar places; travel, a way to deepen understanding beyond the page. Through Perasma, she brings these two paths together—offering thoughtful travel planning inspired by literature, place, and curiosity, and partnering with Fora Travel to help shape journeys that are both meaningful and well considered.
Perasma grew from a desire to create a shared space where stories lead to connection, curiosity becomes conversation, and inspiration turns into experience.
Our Space
Located in the heart of Broad Ripple, Perasma Book Company is surrounded by neighborhood restaurants, cafés, and independent shops; an easy place to wander in, linger, and make an afternoon of it.
Inside, the bookstore is designed for browsing, conversation, and connection. A dedicated Club Room offers space for book clubs, small gatherings, and community conversations, allowing groups to meet comfortably while the store remains open.
For inquiries about space rental or Club Room use, we invite you to get in touch—we’d love to explore how Perasma can host your gathering.