"It's really important to us to make sure everybody feels at home here," said Hans-Sebastian Palacios, co-owner of the Little Bookshop in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, N.Y..
In May, Palacios; his fiance, Ashley Jones; and his mother-in-law-to-be, Mary Jones; opened the Little Bookshop, a 750-square-foot bookstore and cafe at 239 Bushwick Ave. The space can seat about 40 people and features an open floor plan, with most of the books shelved along the walls and a pull-out stage located in the corner farthest from the bar.
The Little Bookshop carries general-interest titles for all ages, and though the inventory is still growing, readers can find literary fiction, fantasy, and romance, as well as narrative nonfiction, self-help, and a few cookbooks. There is a poetry section called the "Edgar Allan Poetry Corner," along with a "big Pride selection" and a small amount of Spanish-language titles. "We have maybe 30% of what we will have," Palacios said. Asked about sidelines, Palacios pointed out that Mary Jones is an artist and has made book bags, shirts, and jewelry for the store.
Noting that he is half-Mexican and Ashley and Mary Jones are Black, Palacios said it is "very important to us to have minority and local authors," and inclusivity is a major focus of all that they're doing. They are "doing as much as we can" with community events and are taking pains to stock books and hold events that "reflect the culture" in the area. They are also trying to make sure that "the people who have been in the neighborhood for years see it not as an intrusion, but as something positive."
Their event plans, along with author readings and signings, include small art fairs, live music, and creative networking events, such as happy hours for artists, writers, and other creatives. They're also "still figuring out" ways they can bring local organizers and activists to the space. Ashley Jones works with after-school programs and is planning to do storytime sessions as well as book fairs for both children and adults.
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| The Little Bookshop owners (from l.) Mary Jones, Ashley Jones and Hans-Sebastian Palacios | |
The cafe side of the business, meanwhile, offers full coffee service and a limited food menu, with soups and sandwiches. The Little Bookshop will be getting a liquor license soon, and the team will start serving beer, wine, and cocktails. They plan to create book and drink pairings and do events that combine readings with tastings.
Prior to opening the Little Bookshop, Palacios did not have any experience in bookselling but did have experience managing and operating a cafe. Ashley and Mary Jones had "always wanted to open a bookstore," and Palacios and Ashley Jones had experience organizing art events together. All three are working artists and have always "wanted to build a community."
When the right space opened up, they felt they had to do it, even with Palacios and Jones's wedding coming up in August. The trio rented a retail space and "started full tilt into it," Palacios recalled. They were able to open in about a month and a half.
So far, he continued, the community response has been "astounding." The Little Bookshop is around the corner from Palacios's previous cafe, and some customers have followed him to the new space. In just a few weeks, the store already has "a decent amount of regulars," and there was a lot of support when the owners put out a petition related to its liquor license. "It got a lot of people excited about us," Palacios said. --Alex Mutter