Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Ambrus
Hi Sarah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey with literacy begins with my mother. Although she was always working to help my family survive, she took time to read out loud to me when I was very young, helping me develop my first love of stories. My family moved often when I was young, and my home life shifted with our circumstances frequently. I never went to any school longer than two years. I was constantly starting over, and I struggled to make connections with peers and adults. School felt boring, difficult, and pointless. Reading became my solace, and I spent hours alone in my room, reading everything I could get my hands on – from Reader’s Digest magazine to Nancy Drew mysteries.
I was the first in my family to attend college, but I was aimless. I had no idea what I wanted to study or the type of career that might be right for me. As my peers left for universities all over the country, with what seemed to me like clear plans for their futures, I attended a local community college while working multiple jobs to pay for it. Eventually I ended up transferring to Texas A&M – following a boy I was dating seemed as good a reason to go there as any – and I ended up in humanities, studying history and philosophy. Those seemed like the “easiest” majors to me, and a quick path to a diploma.
As I struggled to make it on my own in college (my relationship immediately ending upon my arrival), I discovered a new feeling – that I was actually enjoying what I was studying. School was becoming more than a means to an end, and it was quite challenging, too. I needed that, and I needed to find a way to make a career out of it. I was working a side job in the Disability Office on campus where I met other students who needed support to thrive in college. For those with disabilities, their success often depended on the university’s ability to craft creative solutions and programming; I worked with a team of advisors to help develop accommodations for these students to access their education. This is where I first learned about the many different paths to success, and about how I wanted to be part of creating a better learning experience for everyone.
I decided to get a teaching certification upon graduation and landed my first job teaching high school to struggling readers. My students struggled to read for a variety of reasons – some didn’t speak English as their first language or had a learning disability. Many of them came from homes or backgrounds where learning to read was not a priority because they were focused on survival. Some were in the criminal justice system, foster care or mental health facilities. The reasons they could not read were numerous but they all wanted the same thing: to learn and experience success while being accepted as they were. As we all do.
Teaching a teenager how to form letters or pronounce words many of us take for granted will humble you. I thought of my own early experiences with my mother reading to me. Though we didn’t have much, I at least had that, and many of my students had less than that. Access to rich literature, experiences with world travel or even a visit to a museum wasn’t an option for them. As my career progressed in education over the course of fifteen years, I realized more and more how many of my students’ challenges were related to the system they were all learning to survive in.
The COVID pandemic brought the end of my time in the classroom, and like so many others, I knew I needed to pivot and find the next invention of myself. I knew I needed to do something where I could still make a difference, build community, and reach people where they were. Books had always been an important part of my growth and development, and a bookstore appealed to me. But a traditional brick-and-mortar bookstore primarily attracts people who already self-identify as “readers”…I wanted to reach everyone. The idea for a bookstore that traveled to the people was born in my heart.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Once my vision was clear for my mobile bookstore and what its goals would be, I began to shape the path for its creation. I knew what I wanted, but making the vision realistic and clear to others proved to be formidable. I chose a twenty foot trailer to house the store and finished most of it out myself to save on costs.
Those of us who have shopped at a neighborhood used bookstore know that it is so much more than simply buying a book. A used bookstore provides customers with personalized recommendations, a feel of familiar knowledge and intimate stories. Warm and nostalgic, a good used bookstores provide an entire experience, and I needed to find a way to capture that and make it mobile.
To do this, I worked hard to craft the perfect aesthetic that felt like I was bringing the bookstore experience directly to the people in a way that was both surprising and familiar. Trying to create a bookstore that was mobile but also carried the experience of a traditional used bookstore was challenging, but I knew it would appeal to existing readers and those who were already willing to visit a bookstore. What I found more difficult to capture was a way to reach those who would never choose to enter a bookstore or did not consider themselves “readers”. This was critical to becoming the type of space I wanted the mobile bookstore to be. I wanted to make the store accessible and a welcoming place for all. Going to a bookstore is a privilege, and it should never feel intimidating. This meant trying to include a variety of genres in a small space that would appeal to all audiences. I also wanted people who might not typically visit a bookstore to feel comfortable inside, making it clear that all are welcome. Partnering with small businesses in comfortable third spaces also became a crucial part of my business model – customers visiting a local brewery or who notice the bookstore in their neighborhood pop in all the time and tell me “I can’t remember the last time I went to a bookstore.” Good.
It was also vitally important to keep costs low to make sure that everyone could leave with something to read. In addition to keeping our used books priced reasonably, I also decided that giving away books for free was going to be a key part of what I did. I give away free books at every event (especially childrens’ books), start and maintain Little Free Libraries, and also donate books to Inside Books Project, an Austin-based non-profit that sends books to people who are incarcerated across Texas. These initiatives also provide a way to involve our patrons in supporting their community and making literature accessible to all.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Lioness Books is a mobile used bookseller operating in the greater Austin, Texas area. I take pride in my commitment to diversity and inclusivity, offering a selection of books that represent a variety of voices, perspectives, and principals. I will always hold belief in the power of literature and its ability to educate, inspire, unite, and bridge gaps in communities and ideologies. Operating out of the trailer allows me to bring a curated selection of used books to the community, while also providing the full capabilities of an independent bookstore (this includes the ability to purchase audiobooks or to order any new book through my website). I consider Lioness Books to be a neighborhood haven for both new readers and literature enthusiasts alike, and the store draws inspiration from the noble qualities of a lioness – fiercely protective of her community and exuding a sense of pride.
When customers enter the shop, they often remark on how the bookstore makes them feel – finding an intimate world within a trailer in the parking lot of their school or their favorite coffee shop creates a surprising sense of both nostalgia and comfort. That feeling extends itself to the community investments I am able to make thanks to my customers’ support. I am proud of the values that my business stands for and how I am able to give back to the community. As a result…the community reception has been amazing. Our customers are so engaged with the mobile shop and the store has developed a following that loves to see where the bookstore is going to be, and then show up to support the local businesses that host the bookshop. I am truly doing something unique by partnering with other local businesses to create a mutually beneficial environment. Instead of independent small businesses competing for customers, we are promoting each other and creating synergy.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
If you ever feel aimless like I once did, I recommend reading Letters to a Young Poet by the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke. Rilke’s timeless advice for following your passions and living a life authentic to your own values is a roadmap for dealing with all the usual villains of a fulfilling, creative life: imposter syndrome, apathy, comparison. I have owned several copies of the book throughout my life and I always end up giving them away. I think if we can share not only what we are passionate about but also help others discover and pursue their own passions, as well…that is what makes for meaningful connection in this world. A meaningful connection builds authentic community – which is the ultimate outcome both for myself and my bookstore. It’s also why I named the store Lioness – a lioness protects and supports her community and symbolizes what I am trying to create.
Someone once told me “Never let what was once extraordinary become the ordinary, and then the expected.” I strive to create an extraordinary experience for our customers every day to keep the magic of the bookstore alive, reach new readers, and create a safe place for all.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lionessbookstx.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionessbookstx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556350793987
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/lionessbookstx
