diff --git a/kstore-file/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/file/FileCodec.kt b/kstore-file/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/file/FileCodec.kt
index b5c0bfa..6049c0d 100644
--- a/kstore-file/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/file/FileCodec.kt
+++ b/kstore-file/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/file/FileCodec.kt
@@ -75,4 +75,8 @@ public class FileCodec<T : @Serializable Any>(
 
     SystemFileSystem.atomicMove(source = tempFile, destination = file)
   }
+
+  override fun id(): Any {
+    return this.file.toString() + this.serializer.descriptor.serialName
+  }
 }
diff --git a/kstore-storage/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/storage/StorageCodec.kt b/kstore-storage/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/storage/StorageCodec.kt
index 650df68..f217b14 100644
--- a/kstore-storage/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/storage/StorageCodec.kt
+++ b/kstore-storage/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/storage/StorageCodec.kt
@@ -31,4 +31,8 @@ public class StorageCodec<T : @Serializable Any>(
 
   override suspend fun decode(): T? = storage[key]
     ?.let { format.decodeFromString(serializer, it) }
+
+  override fun id(): Any {
+    return storage.toString() + serializer.descriptor.serialName
+  }
 }
diff --git a/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/Codec.kt b/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/Codec.kt
index 1a987bb..a0fc839 100644
--- a/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/Codec.kt
+++ b/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/Codec.kt
@@ -17,4 +17,10 @@ public interface Codec<T: @Serializable Any> {
    * @return optional value that is decoded
    */
   public suspend fun decode(): T?
+
+  /**
+   * Tells the store factory whether to create a new store or reuse an existing one.
+   * @return the id of the codec.
+   */
+  public fun id(): Any = this
 }
diff --git a/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStore.kt b/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStore.kt
index 05bafe2..e304e0d 100644
--- a/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStore.kt
+++ b/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStore.kt
@@ -18,15 +18,22 @@ import kotlinx.serialization.Serializable
  *
  * @return store that contains a value of type [T]
  */
-public inline fun <reified T : @Serializable Any> storeOf(
+public fun <T : @Serializable Any> storeOf(
   codec: Codec<T>,
   default: T? = null,
   enableCache: Boolean = true,
-): KStore<T> = KStore(
-  default = default,
-  enableCache = enableCache,
-  codec = codec
-)
+): KStore<T> {
+  return KStoreFactory.getOrCreate(
+    key = codec,
+    creator = {
+      KStore(
+        default = default,
+        enableCache = enableCache,
+        codec = codec
+      )
+    }
+  )
+}
 
 /**
  * Creates a store with a custom encoder and a decoder
@@ -109,5 +116,6 @@ public class KStore<T : @Serializable Any>(
 
   override fun close() {
     if (lock.isLocked) lock.unlock()
+    KStoreFactory.release(key = codec)
   }
 }
diff --git a/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStoreFactory.kt b/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStoreFactory.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2de9ce1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kstore/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStoreFactory.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+package io.github.xxfast.kstore
+
+/**
+ * A factory for reusing and managing KStore instances keyed by an arbitrary identity (e.g., file path).
+ */
+internal object KStoreFactory {
+  private val storeMap: MutableMap<Any, KStore<*>> = mutableMapOf()
+  private val referenceCountMap: MutableMap<Any, Int> = mutableMapOf()
+
+  /**
+   * Get or create a `KStore<T>` for the given key.
+   * Ensures that only one instance exists per key.
+   *
+   * @param key Unique identity to associate the store with (e.g., file path or custom string).
+   * @param creator Lambda to create a new store if one doesn't exist for the key.
+   */
+  @Suppress("UNCHECKED_CAST")
+  internal fun <T : Any> getOrCreate(
+    key: Any,
+    creator: () -> KStore<T>
+  ): KStore<T> {
+    referenceCountMap[key] = referenceCountMap.getOrElse(key, { 0 }) + 1
+
+    val existing = storeMap[key]
+    if (existing != null) {
+      return existing as KStore<T>
+    }
+
+    val created = creator()
+    storeMap[key] = created
+    return created
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Explicitly remove a store instance for a key (e.g., to free memory).
+   */
+  internal fun release(key: Any)  {
+    val referenceCount = referenceCountMap.getOrElse(key, { 0 })
+    if (referenceCount <= 1) {
+      storeMap.remove(key)
+      referenceCountMap.remove(key)
+    } else {
+      referenceCountMap[key] = referenceCount - 1
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/kstore/src/commonTest/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStoreTests.kt b/kstore/src/commonTest/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStoreTests.kt
index 32c2f7c..2854275 100644
--- a/kstore/src/commonTest/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStoreTests.kt
+++ b/kstore/src/commonTest/kotlin/io/github/xxfast/kstore/KStoreTests.kt
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import kotlin.test.assertEquals
 import kotlin.test.assertSame
 
 class KStoreTests {
-  private val store: KStore<Cat> = storeOf(codec = TestCodec())
+  private val codec = TestCodec<Cat>()
+  private val store: KStore<Cat> = storeOf(codec = codec)
 
   @AfterTest
   fun cleanup() {
@@ -107,6 +108,26 @@ class KStoreTests {
     }
   }
 
+  @Test
+  fun testUpdatesWithMultipleInstances() = runTest {
+    val store2 = storeOf(codec = codec)
+    store.updates.test {
+      assertEquals(null, awaitItem())
+      store2.set(MYLO)
+      assertEquals(MYLO, awaitItem())
+      store2.set(OREO)
+      assertEquals(OREO, awaitItem())
+    }
+
+    store2.updates.test {
+      assertEquals(OREO, awaitItem())
+      store.set(MYLO)
+      assertEquals(MYLO, awaitItem())
+      store.set(OREO)
+      assertEquals(OREO, awaitItem())
+    }
+  }
+
   @Test
   fun testDelete() = runTest {
     store.set(MYLO)