By Hannah Lau Gleciano
Book lovers are finding community between the pages at an independent bookstore in Ybor City.
Bookends Literature and Libations is run by sisters Laurie and Teresa Rodriguez.
It’s tucked a couple of streets behind Seventh Avenue.
It’s also home to an abundance of genres.
Among them are romance, horror, local history, fantasy, science fiction.
The store also has a dedicated room for children’s literature.
Co-owner of Bookends Literature and Libations, Laurie Rodriguez says that while reading culture is picking up, it’s becoming more personal.
“It’s common ground,” she said. “You know if there’s a book that you like and you share that with somebody else, that’s something that you have in common and it brings you together. And right now, you know I think people need that and that’s why it’s becoming so popular.”
Having backgrounds in education, the two sisters view their shop as one big home economics class for all.
Besides selling books, Bookends also hosts events like tarot reading nights, banned book week and book clubs.
Dani Peterson, a customer at bookends and member of a book club that met tonight says that she’s grateful for third spaces.
“With the, you know, addition of new uh locally owned bookstores um it’s kind of giving us more of an opportunity to go out and explore the book culture in Tampa a little bit more.”
She adds that being part of Tampa’s book culture has widened her horizons and exposed her to different ways of life.
For more information about Bookends’ future events, you can visit their Instagram at @bookendsybor.