Reading and Riesling

New Fort Worth bookstore and wine bar pops the cork to sip and shop

Dana St. Germain at her new shop, Bluebonnet Books & Wine.

Dana St. Germain

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 went on a two-week 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.

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 13 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend

Photo courtesy of City of Fort Worth

Say goodbye to the Fort Worth Convention Center arena.

There will be a celebratory feel to many events across Fort Worth this weekend, with lots of different reasons to let loose. Choices include two festivals, the return of a favorite Halloween season display, four concerts, a big e-sports competition, an anime showcase, three theater productions, and a send-off for an iconic city venue.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. If you want more options, check out the calendar for an even longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, September 17

40th Annual GrapeFest
GrapeFest is the largest wine festival in the Southwest, showcasing wine encounters and other festivities. Visitors can enjoy The People’s Choice Wine Tasting Classic, the International Wine Experience, the famous GrapeStomp, and the Champagne Cork Shoot-Off. The event, taking place through Sunday in Historic Downtown Grapevine, will also feature live music, local chefs and vendors, kid-friendly rides, games, and more.

Howell Farms presents Pumpkin Nights
Another September weekend brings more Halloween season events. At Pumpkin Nights, guests can venture along a half-mile walking path, where they’ll discover areas like the The Great Hall, The Enchanted Forest, Maravilla Lane, and more built using over 5,000 hand-carved real and artificial pumpkins. The celebration continues with entertainment and games in festival area The Village. Pumpkin Nights will be open through October 31 at Howell Farms in Arlington.

Kruse Brothers in concert
The Phoenix-based country duo Kruse Brothers are a relatively new act who spent 2025 on the road touring alongside artists like Dylan Gossett. They first garnered national attention earlier this year with their viral hit “White on the Ground" off of their debut album, Heartbreak and Honky-Tonk. They'll make their debut at Billy Bob's Texas.

Friday, September 18

Rocket League World Championship
The video game Rocket League, in which players use customizable vehicles to compete in a version of soccer, has become one of the most popular online games in the past 10 years. Twenty of the world’s best Rocket League teams will compete for a share of a $1.2 million prize pool at the Rocket League World Championship, which will take place through Sunday at Dickies Arena.

Fort Worth Botanic Garden presents Blooms & Beats Fall Music Series
At the Fort Worth Botanic Garden's Blooms & Beats Fall Music Series, visitors can enjoy fall in the Horseshoe Garden while listening to live music performances by talented local artists. They can also satisfy taste buds with offerings from Flora House Cafe, play fun yard games, and relax with a selection of adult beverages under the stars. The series opens on Friday with a performance by The Plum Boys.

Anime Fest at the Modern
Anime Fest at the Modern celebrates the Japanese anime genre with films that are visually stunning, richly imaginative, and poetic in their storytelling. There will be six screenings over the course of three days featuring films from the past 25 years or so. All films were chosen with the guidance of anime and manga expert Dr. Marc Hairston, who will introduce the films and be available for Q&A. The screenings will take place at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth through Sunday.

Theatre Arlington presents Seussical Jr.
Theatre Arlington’s annual all-youth musical, Seussical Jr., features Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and other favorite Dr. Seuss characters springing to life onstage in a fantastical musical extravaganza. The production runs through September 27 at Theatre Arlington.

Hip Pocket Theatre presents Soul Notes From the Velvet Elk (A Place Of Wild Surrender)
Soul Notes From the Velvet Elk (A Place Of Wild Surrender) takes a trip into the electric landscape of the unpredictable and soulfully steps through the doors of The Velvet Elk. See the sky again, rest in the vastness of the beat, and seek what’s most original and true. The production runs through September 27 at Hip Pocket Theatre.

Hudson Westbrook in concert
Hudson Westbrook is a rising country music star who made his debut with “Take It Slow” in 2024 while still enrolled at Texas Tech. Hailing from the small town of Stephenville and raised on everything from George Strait to gangsta rap, the former athlete has released his debut album, Texas Forever, in 2025. He'll play at Billy Bob's Texas on both Friday and Saturday in advance of the release of his sophomore album, Made You Look, scheduled for November.

Saturday, September 19

Fort Worth Botanic Garden presents Celebramos
The start of the annual Celebramos, which honors Hispanic heritage, culture, and community, at Fort Worth Botanic Garden will be celebrated at two separate events on Saturday. Celebramos Kick-Off offers free admission to the garden, a flag parade, a performance by Abuelos Folklórico performance, food trucks, and a DJ dance party. The evening will bring the Celebramos Garden Fiesta, featuring food, drinks, and dancing in the Horseshoe Garden, food and drinks from Magdalenas, and live music from DJ Alexander Bangs and local band Mixtape Vibez.

Performing Arts Fort Worth presents Bluey's Big Play
Bluey’s Big Play is a theatrical adaptation of the Emmy Award-winning children’s television series, with an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, and new music by Bluey composer, Joff Bush. When Dad feels like a little bit of time out, Bluey and Bingo have other plans. They will pull out all of the games and cleverness at their disposal to get Dad off that bean bag. The production will have four performances through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall.

Photo courtesy of City of Fort Worth

It's Goin' Down celebrates the beginning of the end for the Fort Worth Convention Center Arena on September 20.

Sunday, September 20

Fort Worth Convention Center presents It's Goin Down
Ahead of its planned demolition in 2027, visitors can be a part of history at the final community event in the downtown arena at the Fort Worth Convention Center. It's Goin' Down will feature live music and entertainment, community partners, family-friendly activities, interactive experiences, commemorative event merchandise, giveaways, and an arena history exhibit celebrating 58 years of memories.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents "Haydn, Schubert, and Beethoven"
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra’s music director, Robert Spano, is also an accomplished pianist. In this first chamber concert of the season, another star pianist, Peter Takács, joins Spano in a duet by Schubert, the Fantasie in F minor. The program bridges the classical elegance of Haydn with late Beethoven, featuring Bagatelles and the final Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor. A special highlight includes a rare four-hands piano rendition of Spano’s composition, Benedictus. The concert takes place at Kimbell Art Museum

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