Birdhouse Books and Gifts
“Inviting, Colorful, Sparkly”
Tell us the story of your store’s origin.
We opened in September 2024! Abby, our owner, has had a lifelong dream of owning a community-focused business that can act as a neighborhood salon. After 20 years in government, military, and tech jobs, she decided to take the plunge and live her fullest, queerest dream of opening a neighborhood bookstore!
What makes your store special?
Birdhouse Books and Gifts is focused on providing a sense of belonging and welcoming to those who walk in the door seeking community. We believe most people are many things, and we want to celebrate all the parts of a person, even the parts that may feel hidden away in our day to day lives. We have all genres, but a strong focus on LGBTQIA+ lit and also are very proud of our children's and middle grade sections! We especially want queer and gender-nonconforming kids to feel safe and at home here. We also heavily highlight our amazing community of local Austin authors and artists!
What are a few of your store’s favorite books from the past year?
Our biggest event was Banned Books: A Conversation Between Kids And Authors featuring local Middle Grade authors Kari Anne Holt, Adrianna Cuevas, and Evan Griffith. Our community came together with the Texas Chapter of Authors Against Book Bans to discuss truths and myths about book bans, led by a panel of kids. The event raised funds for the Texas Freedom To Read Project as well.
