“Discover the best independent bookstores in East Texas. Visit Talking Animals Bookshop in Grapevine and Fabled Bookshop in Waco for curated books, children’s spaces, and genuine Texas hospitality.”
I am spending the majority of my time this summer in Texas, so I wrote down a list of independent bookstores that I would love to visit. I researched all of them before I came to Texas, and I want to see if they lived up to the hype. So far Texas is proving itself to be an excellent state for readers.
Talking Animals Bookshop – Where customer service is always first
A few months ago I saw an article on my phone for the Talking Animals Bookshop. I was intrigued by the Bonnie and Clyde Nook, and the cool events that they are holding. It looked like a fun and inviting store so I added it to my list for Texas, and I am forever grateful that I did. Not only did I walk away with some spectacular books, I also learned about some other independent bookstores that were not on my list.
Talking Animals Bookstore is located in Grapevine Texas which is a little north of Ft. Worth and Dallas. It is right near the airport. Their address is 103 W Worth St, Grapevine, TX 76051. I parked in the back where there is plenty of parking and walked in what looked like a side entrance, but is actually their main entrance. I already loved the look for the brick building with the sign that could have been a hundred year old sign. It looked older than it was and eclectic from the outside. But the owners also put up fun camouflage netting to look like a vine was growing over an archway. They had this cute little chalkboard outside with mentions of upcoming events.
The store isn’t large, but it does have a great curated collection that spans a wide variety of genres. I felt like they picked the best of the best from each genre, and then a few quirky friends to join the rest! The picture book section was excellent, and I thought the elementary and middle school sections were well done for the space. I walked out with ten books that I felt were reasonably priced.
There are two levels to the Talking Animals, with the upper loft area being an incredible toy area. There were so many things to do for my little toddler, and she had a great time playing while I browsed. But that wasn’t her favorite spot in the store. In between the adult section and the children’s section, there is a little fun reading nook. The store was actually an old bank that Bonnie and Clyde (yes, the real Bonnie and Clyde) robbed back in the day. They have the teller space made into a kids reading nook. It was fantastic, and my daughter loved zipping in and out of there.
While my daughter appreciated the children’s spaces, I appreciated the incredible staff customer service. These booksellers remind me that bookstore owners are lovers of books too. While I was there, a little girl came in who wanted a mermaid book that she had heard about. The staff saw that they had a copy, but it wasn’t shelved where it should be. The staff could have just taken a cursory look around and then claimed that they must have sold the copy. But instead, the two booksellers took probably half an hour and went through every single book in the children’s section to find the mermaid book. The little girl was extremely happy, and the staff was also able to convince the girl that unicorns are amazing too! I was struck by how thoughtful and focused they were on customer service. The bookseller also went back to her computer to look up more mermaid titles in case the little girl wanted some new books on mermaids next time she came in. Upstairs where my toddler was playing with the little girl, the mom mentioned that she comes in all the time with her little girl. This is a local hangout spot for a reason. The staff makes it such a warm and inviting place.
It wasn’t just in the way they helped every customer who walked into their store, it was also in their staff picks. I read a lot of staff picks, but the energy and enthusiasm in these staff picks was powerful. I picked up several of their choices. The setup was also a smart choice. Each staff member had a three book collection on the staff shelf where they wrote about their favorite three picks. There was a wide variety and I felt like I knew the staff members after reading their picks. Then when I was checking out, I informed the booksellers (possibly the owners) that I had taken the only copies of a few of their staff picks. Just so they could refill the area. One of the booksellers then launched into why she loved the book so much. She gushed over the series, and it made me want to start reading it in the store. These booksellers are true lovers of books too. I felt like I had found a kindred spirit. Their depth of knowledge was impressive, their energy infectious, and I know if I lived in this area I would be in every week to see what the staff liked.
The booksellers also gave me a list of other bookstores in Texas that I should visit once they realized that I would be in Texas for the summer. Not everyone would encourage customers to go to their competitors, but The Talking Animals staff is different. They want to go the extra mile to help you. They want to get you and your child reading even if they have to search the whole store for a mermaid book. They want to challenge you to try new things. I was impressed by the bookstore, but more impressed by the incredible customer service and love these booksellers had for books. You might come for the books, but stay and talk to the staff. They are what makes a good bookstore into an icon.
The Talking Animals Website is https://www.talkinganimalsbooks.com/.
Fabled Book Shop – Where you spend your rent money, and just don’t care
Fabled wasn’t on my original list of independent bookstores to hit up while in Texas. The Talking Animals Bookshop sent me there, and I am forever grateful they did. I ended up spending over $300 in two days at Fabled. I didn’t just go once, I had to go back for a second day because it pulled me in. At the end of the day, I don’t care that I blew my extra cash meant for a good restaurant in Texas. The books I bought were well worth the money spent, and I can eat peanut butter and jelly for the next week for all I care (my daughter likes PBJ as well, so it works out).
At first, I didn’t think I would enjoy the bookstore as it had a cafe and coffee section attached. Usually I find these types of bookstores to be bestsellers only, and noisy. I get why owners add in the coffee and food aspect, and given the amount of people sitting while eating, reading, and working, it makes fiscal sense. But I have always been bothered by it, so I tend to struggle with the setups of these types of independent bookstores. The store also looked extremely busy, so I felt like I wasn’t going to have a good experience with the shop.
However, Fabled redeemed itself very quickly in my eyes. While the cafe area could get noisy, it was quieter the deeper you got into the booksections. The beautiful bookshelves were not just stacked with bestsellers. There were such interesting gems. I went through every section, not just my usual haunts, and discovered so many new authors and books. What I also liked is that the bookstore had additional types of editions for the more famous novels. I had to spin my head twice when I realized that the classic section looked totally different based on the new covers provided. Then I had to debate with myself on whether to buy the new edition of a beloved book or a new book altogether. Tough world I live in, huh!
The setup of the bookshelves was well done with enough visual interest that I scanned from top to bottom of each shelf. They didn’t just have the spines out, but also made sure to leave out some of the covers. There were plenty of staff picks that were engaging and fun to read. I walked through all the sections and picked up from almost all the sections. That is how impressively worded the staff picks were. Each genre really felt like it was special to the store and not just a list of bestsellers. It felt curated, even though it was such a large choice in each genre. It was so busy in the store, but it actually didn’t feel crowded in any of the sections, so I had time and space to peruse. They also weren’t badly priced, and did provide discounts.
The children’s section was my favorite area though. You can enter the adult way through the arch, or you can go through an actual wardrobe with hanging jackets. I chose the wardrobe! I lost myself in the children’s section. It was incredible and mindblowing. I would learn later that there is a staff member who is a Master Teacher who helps curate the children’s section. It shows when you are looking through the area. There were so many great classics, and so many new stories. I had a huge haul for the middle school and picture book section. Frankly, I need a bigger paycheck to deal with this store.
Better than the collection of books though is the staff. Like Talking Animals, Fabled has a staff energetic and deep in knowledge. They too excel at customer service. The staff are very conversational, and I had a lovely talk with a staff member about the most underrated states in the USA. I was impressed by the conversation and how much knowledge the bookseller had about the books and traveling. The next day when I came back, I managed to overhear the same bookseller listening to a local customer complain how he was struggling to get home from college and find work. I watched as that staff member comforted the individual and gave solid life advice. Oftentimes we think of 20 year olds as only focused on TikTok, but here was a young bookseller interested in helping out his community. Every interaction I had with staff members at this store showed me how deeply they care about their community and workplace. This was a young staff like Talking Animals, and these two bookstores actually gave me such hope for the next generation of leaders and readers. Customer service is most certainly number one in Texas.
Fabled is located in Waco, Texas. Their address is 215 South 4th Street Waco, TX USA 76701 and their website is https://fabledbookshop.com/.
