Birdhouse Books & Gifts Coming Soon to Austin, Tex.

Birdhouse Books & Gifts, an all-ages, general interest bookstore, will open soon in Austin, Tex.

Located at 5925 Burnet Rd., the store will span 1,900 sq. ft. and have a particularly large selection of middle grade and YA graphic novels and fiction, with store owner Abby Strite noting there will also be prominent banned books, local author, and LGBTQIA+ sections.

The store's interior will feature a reading nest, where customers can relax and enjoy their books, as well as a mural depicting Texas birds and wildflowers that Strite described as "stunning." Alongside books, Strite will carry locally- and regionally-sourced gifts like bookish apparel, journals, candles, and coasters.

Strite's event plans, meanwhile, will primarily focus on local authors, especially early on. The bookstore's first two months will include children's and middle grade author readings nearly every weekend. And in the lead-up to Halloween, the store will participate in a block party and host costumed storytime sessions.

Prior to starting Birdhouse Books & Gifts, Strite had no experience in bookselling, though she described herself as a "10 book-a-month reader" who tracks everything she reads in a spreadsheet. Her career background includes 20 years spent in military and government intelligence, as well as 10 years in Austin's tech industry as a product manager. It was her "lifelong dream" to build a "truly community-centered business."

"As a queer, veteran, mom of 2, I always say that I'm a lot of things, and I know that most people are more than one thing," Strite said. "I want to bring this bookstore to life in a way that recognizes and celebrates all the different parts of people, and provides an inclusive space where patrons can truly breathe freely and bring their full self."

Strite expects to have the bookstore open by early October.

Powered by: Xtenit