diff --git a/lib/customUtils.js b/lib/customUtils.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae65503
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/customUtils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+var fs = require('fs')
+  ;
+
+
+/**
+ * Check if directory exists and create it on the fly if it is not the case
+ * TODO: make recursive
+ */
+function ensureDirectoryExists (dir, cb) {
+  var callback = cb || function () {};
+
+  fs.exists(dir, function (exists) {
+    if (exists) {
+      return callback();
+    } else {
+      fs.mkdir(dir, '0777', callback);
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+
+module.exports.ensureDirectoryExists = ensureDirectoryExists;
diff --git a/lib/datastore.js b/lib/datastore.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e7b414
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/datastore.js
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/**
+ * The datastore itself
+ */
+
+var fs = require('fs')
+  , path = require('path')
+  , customUtils = require('./customUtils')
+  ;
+
+
+/**
+ * Create a new collection
+ */
+function Datastore (filename) {
+  this.filename = filename;
+  this.data = [];
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Load the database
+ * For now this means pulling data out of the data file or creating it
+ * if it doesn't exist
+ * @param {Function} cb Optional callback, signature: err
+ */
+Datastore.prototype.loadDatabase = function (cb) {
+  var callback = cb || function () {}
+    , self = this
+    ;
+
+  customUtils.ensureDirectoryExists(path.dirname(self.filename), function (err) {
+    fs.exists(self.filename, function (exists) {
+      if (!exists) {
+        self.data = [];
+        fs.writeFile(self.filename, '', 'utf8', function (err) { return callback(err); });
+      } else {
+        fs.readFile(self.filename, 'utf8', function (err, data) {
+          if (err) { return callback(err); }
+          self.data = data;
+          return callback();
+        });
+      }
+    });
+  });
+};
+
+
+
+
+
+var d = new Datastore('workspace/test.db');
+d.loadDatabase(function (err) {
+  console.log("====");
+  console.log(err);
+  console.log(d.data);
+});
+
+