The Twig Bookstore in San Antonio is celebrating their 50th anniversary in April.
In their recent press release, The Twig Book Shop announced the celebration of its 50th anniversary with a month of activities in April beginning Friday, April 1, 2022 with Miss Anastasia’s #TwigletStorytime and concluding on Independent Book Store Day, Saturday, April 30, 2022, a bookish all day celebration!
A little Twig of a tale! Did you know, The Twig's name comes from a line by 18th century British poet, Alexander Pope, who wrote, “'Tis education forms the common mind; just as the twig is bent, a tree's inclined"?
In 1972 Harris Smithson, owner of L&M College Book Store, decided to branch out into selling trade books with the opening of a very small Twig Book Shop on Broadway, north of Loop 410.
From 1972, until John Douglas bought The Twig from Smithson in 1999, the business of book selling and San Antonio itself changed immensely. Though San Antonio's population was well under a million in 1972, there were at least five neighborhood book stores. In addition, Joske’s had a major book department and Walden’s and B. Dalton held sway in the malls. Big box stores and online buying were yet to come. During these years Smithson bought Higgins Bookstore on Broadway, opened the Red Balloon in the Colonnade, and opened Booksmith’s on Alamo Plaza.
John Douglas bought the combined The Twig Book Shop and the Red Balloon in Alamo Heights in August of 1999 and carried on the values of independent book selling that Smithson had established. In November of 2009, The Twig Book Shop began its relationship with Pearl with great enthusiasm moving the shop initially to the Full Goods Building and then over to our suite on Pearl Parkway.
The Twig Book Shop prides itself in providing a gathering place for authors, writers, and readers. The Twig Book Shop encourages the exchange of ideas and freedom of expression, offering all customers a collection both diverse and timely. An important goal of The Twig Book Shop has always been to provide books of high quality for children and young people. Youngsters who were introduced in 2000 to Miss Anastasia’s #Twiglet Storytime now bring their own children to the popular Friday readings. The Twig looks forward to the time when these children will attend story time with grandchildren of their own as they branch out at The Twig Book Shop.
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April 1-7 - Twiglets…Our Roots sharing in The Week of the Young Child Celebrating our littlest customers:
Friday, April 1st: #Twiglet Storytime April Fool’s Day
Saturday, April 2nd: Diane Bertrand author of Taco Magician and other Poems for Kids
Sunday April 3rd: NYT Bestseller children’s author of City Spies series James Ponti
April 8-14 - Our Flowers and Leaves: Fiesta! Celebrating Educators:
Brunch, gifts and Discounts for our educators
April 15-21 - Branching out from the Twig - Celebrating Partnerships: Honoring our Pearl neighbors and non-profits for literacy
April 21-29 - Trunk of the Twig/Celebrating Publishers, Authors, and Poets:
April 22nd is Earth Day and April 29th is Arbor Day. We will sponsor a New Tree at Pearl
April 30th - INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY Celebrating Locally:
A plethora of published local authors, illustrators, and poets will be celebrating with ALL the Twiggies, past and present.
