Amarillo-based Hastings Entertainment filed for bankruptcy in 2016, closing all of its locations, leaving New Braunfels without a bookstore.
“Then there was nothing. So I went back [to school], finished my degree in education, and I was going to be a teacher.” Caldwell said. “After I graduated I was like, ‘No, I don’t think I want to do that,’ so I opened this.”
The Book Haus opened in 2018, initially in a smaller location within the Walnut Business Center. Caldwell relocated to its location on West Hwy. 46 in 2020. The Book Haus holds children’s story time readings—typically on Tuesday mornings—and hosts other community events such as a back-to-school backpack drive earlier this fall. Featured authors speaking events and Lone Star Writers Roundup events are also held at the shop.
The Book Haus carries new and used books and offers store credit in exchange for books that customers bring in. “We do store credit instead of paying cash. ... We’re able to give them a little bit more that way,” Caldwell said.
Caldwell is selective in the quality of used books she will accept for the shop, she said. In some instances in which it receives a large quantity of a certain genre, The Book Haus will package the books in bundles such as a romance or science fiction “grab bag” for just a few dollars.
“When I first opened, we took anything, anything. Now, if you’ve looked at our used books, they’re in very good condition. We won’t put torn books on the shelf,” Caldwell said. “So it does my heart good when I always hear your books are in such good condition. Because that’s the biggest thing is when we do take books they have to be in good condition.”
The Book Haus
992 S. Hwy. 46, Ste. 102, New Braunfels
830-302-7600 • www.thebookhaus.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. noon-4 p.m.
