Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Smith.
Brittany, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in California but moved to Texas and later to Cincinnati to pursue my athletic career in Gymnastics. As my career progressed, I attended the University of Georgia where I earned my bachelors degree, and finished my athletic career. Over my almost 18 year athletic career, I spent a lot of time with my teammates and developed a really strong bond with them that still exists today. Having that sense of community and support was instrumental in creating who I am today and it is what I’ve sought to bring to Avondale Estates at The Book Bird.
I have always loved books. With as much traveling as was required in my childhood, they have always been a big part of my life growing up. My family had a similar love of books and grandmother never left the house without one in her hand. To be able to open a book, be transported into another world, and perhaps, be forever changed because of it, is a treasure. The conversations that books create are something I feel we need and are necessary for our world. I had a passion to bring this to others, so I decided to open a bookstore!
Reading is good for the mind, body, and soul; a form of self care that few other activities can compare. Although I began as a pop-up bookstore concept in May of 2023 in Avondale Estates, my intention at the outset was to create a space that not only sold books, but offered an environment where community could gather, engage, challenge ideas, and spark creative conversation.
Our special events are designed with cultural enrichment and engagement in mind, with weekly children’s story time in both English and Spanish, book clubs, a cookbook club, and author events. We’ve hosted writer’s panels, a spinoff of the popular Moth storyteller series called Stories on a Lark, and feature monthly open mic poetry.
I look at The Book Bird as that third space in your life where we can gather as a community through the love of literature that not only sparks creativity but offers a space where ideas can cultivate and people can share stories that matter.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think when you are creating something from the ground up, struggle is only to be expected. We’ve had to figure out a lot of things along the way and trial and error is important, because it allows us to better understand what works and what doesn’t. We’ve had ups and downs, have honed the overall concept, and have a clear vision of what we will be in the future. It is difficult to be in the book business and it is an ever-present challenge to compete with large operations, but I feel what we do is important and more than just books. We also bring the arts, culture, and the exchange of ideas to our community. All in all it’s been a blast bringing The Book Bird to life!
We’ve been impressed with The Book Bird, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Book Bird is an independent bookstore that offers a variety of book titles and programming. We see ourselves as that third space in peoples life giving you a little room for self-care and conversation, and a place for imagination to grow.
I founded the bookstore in 2023 as a single propietor and in 2024, I brought on a partner, Amie Waltzer, as we look to expand our business into our future space at The Dale in Avondale Estates.
What makes me most proud about the Book Bird is how we have built and established a space where everyone is welcome and our intent with every event we host (and everyday shopping experience, for that matter) is to bring a unique, enriching experience that is inclusive for everyone. We offer monthly Open Mic Poetry, Children’s Story Time in English and Spanish, author events and book signings, and book clubs.
In addition to our regular events, we strive to host interesting and topical special events at the Book Bird. Last October, we invited a clinical psychologist and a horror writer/producer/director to discuss “Why do we like to be scared?” and this May, we will be hosting a panel discussion on child, teen, and adult mental health, complete with therapists and experts to highlight mental health awareness month. We curate a selection of relevant titles for each event so each guest has the opportunity to bring a book home on the topic. We typically do 4-5 special events a year, so there are many opportunities to join us!
We’re also really proud of our curated titles of books and offer new releases, up and coming and local author selections, children/young adult titles, as well as poetry! We offer fiction, fantasy, and cooking book clubs and are looking to expand into even more genres in the near future. Book clubs are an amazing way to establish belonging, and we would love to help connect anyone with these little literary communities.
Our brand represents community gathering and the exchange of ideas through books. Our mission is to showcase and bring the world of books to more people in our world. Our tag-line is “Read And Take Flight!” because books can take you anywhere you want. We hope you can come visit and find that inspiration to explore and find the joy of reading.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
To me, success is creating an inviting space where people feel comfortable, inspired, included, and want to come back again and again. Reading is a journey, and I love seeing my guests, especially kids, stand around our bookshelves discussing what they’ve read and what they want to read next. And when they leave with that new book that they’ve been looking for, a new journey will begin for that person. It’s a pretty great feeling!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.thebook-bird.com
- Instagram: thebookbirdae
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092542833057
Image Credits
Ben Rollins
