BUSINESS FEATURE The Book Haus Independent retailer lls gap in local sellers W hen Sabrina Caldwell and her family moved to New Braunfels in 2009, she said they would spend every Friday night at Hastings, a CD, video game and bookstore chain, that was located in the New Braunfels Marketplace on Business I-35. Amarillo-based Hastings Entertainment led for bankruptcy in 2016, closing all of its locations, leaving New Braunfels without a bookstore. “Then there was nothing. So I went back [to school], nished my degree in education, and I was going to be a teacher.” Caldwell said. “After I graduated I was like, ‘No, I don’t think I want to do that,’ so I opened this.” The Book Haus opened in 2018, initially in a smaller location within the Walnut Business Center. Caldwell relocated to its location on West Hwy. 46 in 2020. The Book Haus holds children’s story time read- ings—typically on Tuesday mornings—and hosts other community events such as a back-to-school backpack drive earlier this fall. Featured authors speaking events and Lone Star Writers Roundup events are also held at the shop. The Book Haus carries new and used books and o ers store credit in exchange for books that custom- ers bring in. “We do store credit instead of paying cash. … We’re able to give them a little bit more that way,” Caldwell said. Caldwell is selective in the quality of used books she will accept for the shop, she said. In some instances in which it receives a large quantity of a certain genre, The Book Haus will package the books in bundles such as a romance or science ction “grab bag” for just a few dollars. “When I rst opened, we took anything, anything. Now, if you’ve looked at our used books, they’re in very good condition. We won’t put torn books on the shelf,” Caldwell said. “So it does my heart good when I always hear your books are in such good condition. Because that’s the biggest thing is when we do take books they have to be in good condition.” BY ERIC WEILBACHER
The children’s books section o ers a wide selection. (Photos by Eric Weilbacher/Community Impact)
BOOKS FOR READERS OF ALL AGES
The Book Haus is organized in a fashion that increases in age-appropriateness in a clockwise fashion, from the children’s play area and children’s section, then on to chapter books, tweens and young adult literature. It also has sections of:
Biographies Cook books Religion General non ction Classics
Manga/anime Hobbies Art Home schooling History
Story time readings are held in the children’s area.
The general ction section has new and used books.
Sabrina Caldwell opened The Book Haus in 2018.
The Book Haus 992 S. Hwy. 46, Ste. 102, New Braunfels 830-302-7600 www.thebookhaus.com Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. noon-4 p.m.
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NEW BRAUNFELS EDITION • NOVEMBER 2022
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