Village Books, a 1,400-square-foot independent bookstore, is coming to the Woodlands in April, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Owner Teresa Kenney, who's been a freelance writer and editor, will open the store at 8000 McBeth Way in the Marcel Crossing shopping center in Sterling Ridge in The Woodlands, a planned community in the Houston metropolitan area with a population of more than 93,000. The store will carry only new books, and Kenney will offer free coffee and tea for customers. She's currently building her opening inventory and is soliciting community feedback to help guide her buying decisions.

"It is something that I've always wanted to do, and it just felt like the right time," Kenney told the Chronicle. She began seriously looking into opening a bookstore last September. "I am fifty-six years old, and I thought, this would be a really wonderful thing to do as a second chapter in my career."

According to the store’s Facebook page, the role of Village Books is to support and celebrate its community and serve as an incubator for young readers, new writers, and literary adventures. They want to serve as a connection for neighbors, whether you’re making a quick stop to pick up the latest bestseller, gathering with friends for a reading or signing by a local author, or just spending a few stolen moments browsing their collection of specially curated books.

Village Books will offer new books, distinctive gift items, gift certificates, and a full schedule of events and activities, including children's story time held in a variety of languages, including Hindi, Spanish, and American Sign Language, as well as events for children on the autism spectrum; author readings; classes and workshops; and special events. Kenney also intends to host book clubs and writers' groups for both teens and adults.

Although no firm opening date has been set, Kenney is hoping to begin selling books and building community by April. “I am just really excited,” she said. “There are a lot of book lovers in The Woodlands.”