Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Robertson.
Hi Stephanie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m a mom of three kids, ages 4 to 11. A couple of years ago, we were spending our weekends at a big chain bookstore. I was constantly trying to keep up—each of my kids wanted to be in a different section, they were at different points in their reading journeys, and quiet? That was out the window. What I really needed was a little guidance and a more kid-friendly space.
One day, I googled “children’s bookstore near me” and was shocked to discover that there wasn’t one. Not long after, I woke up from a dream (a fabulous one, actually) and told my husband, “We’re going to open our own bookstore.” He laughed and shrugged it off, but I couldn’t shake the idea.
Within a couple of months, we had signed a lease, secured a business loan, and started painting furniture. It’s wild to look back—we started with just 600 books. Now we’re at around 2,100 titles and still growing. Our goal is to keep offering kids a fun and inviting place to engage with literature. And who knows… maybe one day, we’ll open a sister store.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We’ve been pleasantly surprised by how things have gone. Of course, we’ve faced the same challenges as any small business – funding, staffing, marketing, etc. We’ve also had to learn the rhythms of the book industry, especially the seasonality that comes with children’s books.
I will say that Cedar Park/Leander has really engaged parents who are invested in their childrens’ literacy journeys, and that has made all the difference in the world.
We came to a crossroads this summer. We had grown enough that we needed full time help, but we weren’t quite there financially. After a lot of discussion, we decided to take a giant leap of faith. I left my full time corporate sales job, and went all in on our little store.
It’s been both the most exhilarating, scary, and fulfilling experience of my life! Well, besides parenting, but that’s for another conversation!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We’re a children’s bookstore, and everything we do is centered around kids. We bring in books they already know and love, books they’ve never seen before, and books where they can see themselves and their friends in. Our goal is to create a space that feels like it belongs to them.
From cozy chairs and quiet reading nooks to a play kitchen and a mini makerspace, everything in our store is designed to feel magical and 100% kid-focused. Instead of asking kids to fit into adult spaces, we flip the script. This is a kids’ space, and we plan the grown-up stuff around them.
That said, we haven’t forgotten about the adults. We keep a small selection of adult titles (always 20% off, because parents deserve to treat themshelves), and every Third Thursday we host Adult Night, where we stay open late, chat about books and life, and bedazzle our favorite titles.
There’s always something going on at PBB, from author visits, to princesses, activities, book clubs, and of course, impromtu storytimes. It’s a joyful, ever-evolving space where stories come to life.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We’re a small, growing bookstore—and we’d love your help spreading the word! You can follow us on social media to stay connected and see what’s happening:
Facebook: Paper Bark Birch
Instagram: @paperbarkbirchbooks
TikTok: @pbbbooks
We also offer curated book fairs for schools, daycares, and churches, and we’re proud to be an awarded vendor for the State of Texas through LISD. If your school is looking for a passionate, local partner in literacy—we’d love to be considered!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.paperbarkbirch.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paperbarkbirchbooks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Paper-Bark-Birch-61552126244119/
Image Credits
Just Add Magic Entertainment – Cinderella Photo
