During the month of April, Houston hosted its first independent bookstore crawl. Eighteen different independent bookstores across the Houston area, spanning more than 100 miles, participated in this event.
I was shocked to learn that I had not heard of many of these bookstores before this event – stores that have existed for decades and stores that are very very new (including Lit Java that literally had a soft opening before their official grand opening on April 27, 2024 to be able to participate in this book crawl). In light of this realization, I decide to embark on a month-long quest to visit all eighteen bookstores participating in the book crawl.
This was a very ambition quest as it was a lot of territory to cover. However, it was also a fascinating way to discover different neighborhoods in and around Houston. Plus, this book crawl included a bingo card, and I love me some bingo cards.
Stop #1: Kaboom Books
I was very unprepared for this gem of a bookstore. I did not allocate enough time to truly look at all the floor to ceiling bookshelves. I should have allocated multiple hours. The owners are lovely, friendly and knowledgeable.
Stop #2: Good Books in the Woods
From the outside, this bookstore looks like a pretty small house, but inside is a maze of rooms filled with new books, used books, and some antique books, including a first edition Frankenstein. If you want to find a specific genre, no worries, the staff is super friendly and helpful and will guide you. I was actually given a full tour, but they also have printout maps if you want to just wander on your own.
Stop #3: Buy the Book
This was a quaint bookshop with lots of contemporary, local and children’s literature. I especially enjoyed the personal farewell by the bookstore’s cat.
Stop #4: Lit Java
This is the newest edition to the independent bookstore community in the Houston area – located in Pearland. This is a nice shop with coffee, which has a great space for author visits and other bookish events.
Stop #5: Kindred Stories
This is a minority-owned bookstore that highlights Black authors. There are so many great stories in there both fiction and nonfiction. Plus, the shop has a spacious outdoor area in the back to sit and discuss your reads.
Stop #6: Gulf Coast Cosmos Comics
Right next door to Kindred Stories is a comic book store. It is the only comics store on the book crawl. I’m not going to lie, I don’t really read comics, but I really enjoyed this store, and the owner was very friendly and welcoming. This store also included an entertainment room, which is perfect for entertaining kids or having discussions.
Stop #7: CLASS Bookstore
Again, same as the comic book store, I really enjoyed chatting with one of the owners of CLASS. He made everyone feel so welcome and spoke of upcoming events. He also offered this store as a nice book club meeting space.
Stop #8: Basket Books & Art
This store has one of the largest collections of poetry that I have seen. I was also happy to see how many international authors they featured. Plus, don’t forget the art part of this store with a gallery on the second floor.
Stop #9: Brazos Bookstore
I’ve been to this bookstore a few times, as I enjoy its contemporary literature and staff picks section. It also features a pretty sizable children’s literature room.
Stop #10: Murder By The Book
This bookstore is just a couple blocks down from Brazos Bookstore and has a similar feel with lots of author events. The difference is, in case the name didn’t already give it away, it focuses on mystery, thrillers and true crime.
Stop #11: Lit Bookbar
This is a bookstore in Richmond, that just opened a few months ago. It is a great place to grab a cocktail or mocktail and talk about and/or buy books with your friends. It is a nice space for book clubs and occasionally hosts live music events as well.
Stop #12: Candescent Books
This is an online bookstore, but they do have some weekend popup displays in the area. During the book crawl, you could find their popup located at Native Coffee downtown. They had a nice display on the patio when I was there, which also included homemade candles. Historical fiction is not my favorite book genre, but the historical fiction candle smelled soooo good.
Stop #13: Copperfield’s Books
This bookstore has new and used books of all genres and has a children’s literature room. My favorite part was the section dedicated to bookish goods and gifts, including a wall of tote bags, apparel, glassware, notebooks, and so much more.
Stop #14: Village Books
The dog, Oso, is a great addition to this bookstore, and I was happy to support Pure Mutts Animal Sanctuary there too. While this is a smaller shop, it is beautifully decorated. I especially liked the book art.
Stop #15: The Book Attic
This used books bookstore just moved locations. You may have to dig a bit on the floor and in bags to see everything that is available, but it is fun to search around.
Stop #16: The Book Readers Venue
This is a small room of books that is open only on the weekends (Fridays thru Sundays). However, even with their limited hours, they host a lot of fun events, including author visits. I got to meet a local author while I was there – Breonna Brownlee. This shop mostly focuses on romance literature. Just tell the owner what you are looking for, and I guarantee she will find you a perfect choice.
Stop #17: Houston Book Warehouse
I had heard of the Book Warehouse before from a coworker who visits this store semi-regularly, but I had never been able to visit myself previously. From the outside, I didn’t actually know I was in the right place. However, when I walked in, I found myself looking at a huge space filled with thousands of books. Many of these books are used and can be purchased for under $5, so this stop won’t break the bank.
Stop #18: Blue Willow Bookshop
My last stop on the book crawl was to Blue Willow Bookshop. It is such a lovely bookstore inside and out. Even though they were quite busy while I was there, I had barely entered when a staff member asked if I needed an assistance finding someone. As it turns out, I was looking for a gift, and the staff helped me find the perfect book.
I cannot express how happy I am that Houston’s independent bookstores joined together to put on this book crawl. I love being a tourist in my own city and a book crawl is a great way to do that. I met so many wonderful people and acquired so many great reads. Now I have some reading to do…
The Great Morrison Migration 