Fort Worth has a cozy new independent bookshop where readers can browse, buy, and sip. Called Bluebonnet Books & Wine, the store is now open at 3464 Blue Bonnet Cir., in an 800-square-foot space that formerly housed an optometrist’s office.
Owned by Fort Worth husband-and-wife Dana St. Germain and Robert Costas - she, an Iowa native, and he, a TCU alumnus - the store sells a wide-ranging collection of used books, from novels and biographies to cookbooks and children’s titles. Pricing is simple, with books selling for $5, $10, or $20.
“I wanted it to be accessible,” says St. Germain, who was raised by a librarian and has two school-age children – Elouise, 11, and John, 8. “I know it’s clichéd, but Dolly Parton said the more books we can get in kids’ hands, the better.”
The warm and inviting shop is designed to feel like a comfortable, shotgun-style living room, with plush seating nooks sitting atop jewel tone rugs; plus bookshelves and display tables of various heights and sizes.
As for the "Wine" part of the name, St. Germain is still waiting for her beer and wine license and has plans to sell kegged wine by the glass and wine by the bottle once it's approved. (For now, it's free.) She hopes customers will feel comfortable enough to stay for a while and perhaps meet more of their neighbors.
“I want this place to be somewhere that maybe people who work from home want to come and be with other people,” she says. “A third space.”
St. Germain previously worked in sales and logistics for a trucking company. She says she’s always wanted a bookstore, but the timing never felt right.
“I only had two weeks of vacation and finally said, ‘Okay, what am I doing?’” she says. “Eloise and John are reading, and both are at a place where they are really fun and really cool, and I want to be around them more.”
The shop is walking distance of St. Germain’s home and her daughter’s middle school. She's already coordinated a Friday book club for her daughter and her friends, which also uses the shop as an after-school pickup spot for parents.
More book clubs for kids are planned, along with camps featuring crafts, journaling, playtime, and snacks. St. Germain also encourages customers to start their own book clubs and use the store for meetups.
Another unique program is called “This book made me think of you,” an opportunity for customers to gift a monthly book to a loved one (or themselves) while letting St. Germain take the reins. Customers can chat with St. Germain about their giftee’s interests (or their own) and she’ll select and wrap a book with a handwritten note to be picked up monthly.
The store also sells small gifts, from fun stickers and shirts to small notebooks that come with colored pencils for just $1.
“I wanted everything to be affordable and easy that even kids can find something, too,” she says.
Bluebonnet Books & Wine is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 am-6 pm, as well as for private bookings.
