Bell Bird Books Welcomes Readers in Wedgewood-Houston

Mary Ann Weprin grew up in a “bookish family.” Her childhood was dotted with frequent bookstore trips with her mom and sister, who are both librarians. 

To this day, she appreciates a moving story and pores over memoirs for inspiration. “I love to hear about other people’s lives,” she says. “I’m kind of obsessed with it.”

Opening Bell Bird Books in Wedgewood-Houston was a natural next step for Weprin, who’s always seen bookstores as gathering points. 

Named after her family’s farm, the store is intended as a third place for locals and tourists — where they can find their next favorite reads in a cozy, home-like environment, furnished with antiques from Patina + Co. “I want it to feel like somebody’s living room, and I want the space to just feel like exhaling,” says Weprin.

Her husband Ben, founder and CEO of AJ Capital, has been developing Wedgewood-Houston for about a decade. The growing neighborhood has welcomed both small local businesses and larger brands, such as Hermès, Zimmerman, Staud, Eberjey and Pastis. 

But Weprin believes a bookstore was a necessary addition. “In my mind, a bookstore is one of the things that kind of grounds a neighborhood,” she says. “I kept saying, ‘There really needs to be a bookstore over here.’”

Bell Bird Books packs books of all genres into its 900-square-foot storefront. When sourcing inventory, Weprin called on her mom and sister to make lists of their favorite books as a jumping-off point. Before she knew it, her shelves were full. 

Then came a plethora of stationery, merchandise, gifts and crafting supplies. “We have a notebook — it’s called “Noted” — that somebody made in Brentwood, and we carry embroidery kits that someone in Gallatin makes,” says Weprin. “It’s been fun to incorporate that kind of stuff in the store as much as we can.”

A small, knowledgeable team of booksellers provides guests with thoughtful, personalized book recommendations. Within a month of opening, Weprin has already seen returning customers rave about the books they were steered toward, eager to get their hands on another page-turner. 

Weprin plans to host in-store events and add activations throughout the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, aiming to strengthen community among both readers and other businesses in the area. “I think it’s really cool to be part of a new neighborhood that is being developed super intentionally,” she says. “Everybody’s cheering for each other — the big businesses [and] the little businesses.” 

To learn more about Bell Bird Books, visit https://www.bellbirdbooks.com/.