Henry said ordering books made her realize children are reading more stories about dragons than she realized. (Roo Moody/Community Impact)
Anna Henry was walking down 19th Street looking to buy a nice card when she realized there wasn’t a local bookstore in the area.
Henry and her husband, Chris Hysinger, had recently moved from Montrose to the Heights, and she said the two were surprised at the lack of bookstores. That day, she said, they decided it was something that needed to be done, and they were going to do it.
The local impact
Founded in November 2025, Henry said Good on Paper was always meant to be a place for the community to gather, and for them, the whole point was to give back to the neighborhood, whether that be through donations or book clubs.
The store offers four different book clubs, with a virtual book club launching in February, as well as workshops, craft nights and author signings. Additionally, Henry said she’s proud to have a woman-owned, small business on 19th Street.
“When you shop local, everything just stays here in our community,” she said. “We're supporting our neighbors.”
Good on Paper is a family affair, as Henry's mother-in-law and two daughters work at the bookstore. (Roo Moody/Community Impact)
Something to note
Henry said she wanted the store to be a place where all types of people are represented, especially in her store’s children's book section and during times like romance reader month.
“We have so many different cultures that are represented in the Heights, and there's definitely a responsibility to ensure that we're not just providing a perspective that looks like us,” she said.
Looking ahead
After a successful first year of business, Good on Paper has plans to grow.
“The opportunity came where we could expand, and I'm so excited for it,” Henry said.
Details about the store's book clubs and reading materials are posted on the website. (Roo Moody/Community Impact)
She said she’s planning to expand into the space right next to the shop by April, which is Independent Bookstore Month in Houston. Throughout the month, book lovers can travel to indie bookstores in the Houston area to collect stamps and earn prizes, such as gift cards to their favorite bookstore.
“So the whole goal would be to get the store space ready to go by indie month, because wouldn't that be so fun?” she said. “There are so many sections that we want to expand on, and we'll be able to do that now with double space.”
