Brazos Bookstore in Houston proves that independent bookstores still thrive with niche selections, diversity, and 51 years of book-loving magic.
This wasn’t on my list from Talking Animals Bookstore, but mostly because I didn’t tell them I was headed to Houston. But this bookstore has been on my radar for awhile. A few friends of mine talked about their visit to this bookstore a couple of years ago. They predicted that if I ever went, I would walk out with at least two bags worth of books. They were wrong. I walked out with three.
Brazos has existed in Houston for 51 years. This is an established business and it shows by how busy it was on a Tuesday midmorning. Despite the small and difficult parking lot, a multitude of people come into this bookstore to browse, chitchat about books, and buy. There is no coffee shop, so the only draw is books. Something that I deeply appreciate.
What went right – Everything!
The outside is deceptively small, and so I expected a cramped store. The inside of the store is light, well laid out, and with plenty of room to move. The wall placement is a clever choice in the fact that you wander in a circle and you feel like you are digging deeper and deeper into the store. The store feels never ending, until you find yourself back at the center with the cashier register before you. The shelves wind you in a pattern that makes you feel alone in a busy bookstore, so no one feels cramped or bothered.
Each genre seems to have its own space. It is a smart setup and it pays off well. I had plenty of time to peruse the store. Since the spacing made it feel like a private moment, I spent much more time in this bookstore than usual.
I was immediately greeted by two great booksellers when I walked in. They stopped their conversation to make sure that I was greeted, even though they had to interrupt the customer that they were talking to. The staff was very chit chatty with anyone who would hold a conversation with them, but didn’t walk up to you to start a conversation. That meant I could browse in peace but also have a great conversation at the register.
You can tell that this is a well established business that has time to understand their everyday customer and their occasional visitor. When I was at the checkout, even though I had a large stack, the bookseller who was helping to bag my books didn’t make another woman wait behind me to check out. He immediately opened another register and checked her out, then went right back to bagging my books. She had been on a lunch break and had limited time, and the bookseller knew it. The staff was great at accommodating and conversing which is something that newer bookstores can struggle with.
The staff picks – wow! These staff picks were heartfelt and so well written. There were a few that were typed up information about the book versus a recommendation, but the vast majority of the books with a tag had incredible writing. I appreciated the wide variety of choices in the staff pick, and the placement throughout the store. If I had a complaint, it would be that some of the ink choice colors (light green) didn’t show up as well and made it difficult to read.
There was a section on their book club selections, so I could pick up what each of the book clubs were reading. This was a nice touch, and not typical of most independent bookstores. I didn’t realize that they had a horror book club at this store, and I picked up a new book in that section because of the staff pick writing. I would have walked right past this book, since I don’t typically do horror, in a normal store because I don’t spend time in that section. The book club section allowed me to explore books I wouldn’t normally look for.
There was a wide range of posters on author nights, and I picked up several signed author’s copies as a treat for myself. Bravos marks out their local authors and gives them great visual impact at reading height and covers facing forward. It made me pick up a few, so the placement worked well for those authors.
Diversity and Niche
One thing that I was surprised by was how niche Bravos can actually be. I didn’t see many bestsellers, and it was rare (outside of the children’s section) to see typical boxstore type books. At the cash register, the bookseller stated that if it is niche and odd they try to carry it. They were right, and I was surprised by how many “odd” choices I wanted to make.
I spent a lot of time in the children’s section which had its own room in the back. This is one of the only spots in the store were bestsellers are prominently displayed. It was wonderfully colorful and had a main bench to sit on. There were plenty of classics to choose from, but Bravos also had a wide range of diverse books and local books. I found myself picking up 8 picture books for my daughter.
When I talk about the diversity of books, I don’t just mean different ethnicities. One of the picture books I picked up dealt with a little girl going through a flood moment. It wasn’t about a specific flood like Katrina, but dealing with being in a flood. There are many states that deal with flooding now. The book is from a little girl’s perspective of how being in a flood feels, finding safety, feeling frustrated by the shelter and loss of toys, and then finding empathy to share when you have lost everything yourself.
I have wandered through a lot of big box stores, and this book on the trials of a common issue has never shown up on a shelf. This is why independent booksellers are needed. We need to see some of these other perspectives that aren’t always a bestseller. Independent Bookstores take a chance on unknown authors and unproven ideas. Personally, I can’t wait to read this book to my daughter. It made me cry and made me hopeful for the future.
I wasn’t surprised by how many books I picked up, but I do wish there had been an opportunity for a discount. If you live in the Houston Area they have a rewards system that would have let me get more books. However, I live far away, so that rewards program is of no use to me. While that disappointed me as a visitor, if I was a local, that kind of program would make me come back again and again.
Overall Impressions
As a visitor, it is obvious why Bravos has stood the test of time and through multiple downturns in the economy and reading engagement. They aren’t a massive store with every book under the sun. By all rights, they should be struggling to maintain their business like so many other independent bookstores. They have chosen to not have the bestsellers on the shelf, to promote independent writers, local authors, and diverse choices. What makes them successful is they have a solid setup, a great selection, and have retained loyal customers. Their staff knows what they are doing, and why. If I was looking to set up a bookstore, I might try and visit Bravos to see how a pro creates a little independent bookshop. They certainly know what they are doing, and they don’t need any gimmicks or coffee to do it.
Location: 2421 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005
Website: https://www.brazosbookstore.com/
