Blackbird Books & Spirits
By: Sierra
Books, booze, coffee, and events all in one place? Sign me up!
A new bookstore has made quite an impression on the small town of Belton, Texas. Blackbird Books & Spirits was founded by Kris who had a beautiful vision to make her bookstore stand apart from the rest. Kris noticed a trend with smaller bookstores opening and offering only a specific genre of books without room for variety. Instead of following this trend, she designed a bookstore with a wide range of books, catering to a plethora of genres. This bookstore also stands apart from the rest by offering an in-house bar with a speakeasy vibe.
In-house Bar
The in-house bar is run by Ashley (a partner of the bookstore) who offers a multitude of drinks. For the nondrinkers, there are mocktails, adaptogenics, sodas, and coffee. Beer, wine, and cocktails are on the menu as well. Ashley also hosts mixology classes twice a month. Her love for books, mixology, and creating a cozy atmosphere is what inspired her to partner with Blackbird Books & Spirits. Having a bar in the bookstore has attracted new customers that come for the bar, but stay for the books. Not everyone is an avid reader, but Kris (the owner) noted that even the nonreaders tend to pick up a book or a gift to buy. Kris and Ashley are also excited about other ways to bring people into this beautiful bookstore.
Events
So many events are happening, coming soon, and being planned at Blackbird Books & Spirits. These events include book clubs, candle making, murder mystery, mixology classes, broom making, and so much more. Kris’ vision is to bring things to Belton that the community hasn’t seen before. Not only is she bringing the community new and exciting events, but Kris and Ashley also give back to the community. There are books that can be purchased in-store that go towards a Dolly Parton fund, which they use to give away free children’s books. As many customers have said, this bookstore is exactly what Belton needed. With such an amazing, unique, and successful business there were some challenges faced along the way.
Challenges & Success
For Kris, the two biggest challenges when starting this business were choosing the books and proving the naysayers wrong. Kris sees books as very personal and each person has a different style of book that fits their personality. Thus, going through a very long list of books and choosing books that she would personally never read, but knowing one of her customers would was a struggle. That struggle definitely paid off though, because books of many genres are flying off the shelves. Another hurdle Kris faced was pushing past the negativity. There were a lot of people that didn’t think opening a bar and bookstore combination in downtown Belton would work out. Thankfully, Kris took it all with a grain of salt and still opened her now successful bookstore in downtown Belton, Texas.
Are you looking for a new place to hang out, relax, buy a book, or grab a drink? You should definitely check out this unique bookstore tucked away in Belton, Texas. Check them out on Facebook and Instagram.
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