In celebration of its first anniversary, TBR Books & Tea hosted a Birthday Bash celebration featuring the Main Character Market, free birthday cake, tea and coffee, and a giveaway.
The celebration took place on Saturday at 10 a.m. The market closed at 2 p.m. and all other aspects of the celebration ended when the store closed at 6 p.m.
During the Birthday Bash, many community members stopped by to show their support. For Jamie Freeman, owner of TBR Books & Tea, this reflected her core reason for opening the bookstore in the first place.
“The main reason that I wanted to be here is to build a community,” Freeman said. “I think that we’ve done that just by creating this space and by all of the events we put on.”
Freeman aims to not just provide books and tea to the community, but to truly bridge the gap between members and build connections that otherwise would not be made.
“One of my favorite things is when we put on events and people who don’t know each other come, and then at the end they’re exchanging phone numbers and now suddenly they’re best friends,” Freeman said. “That’s the kind of community and relationships we want to foster here.”
To build upon this pillar of TBR Books & Tea, Freeman and store manager Akira Grant worked to get local vendors involved in the fun. This segment made up the Main Character Market.
The event’s success was a reflection of the bookstore’s efforts to engage the community and create a space welcoming for all. For Grant, this translates into a work environment she feels comfortable in.
“I personally like having a job where I can come to and enjoy being here every day,” Grant said. “It’s never a huff and puff to get here. Everybody I work with is great. The owner is fantastic. It’s really nice to work around something you love.”
One of the vendors was In a Rush Creations owner Emma Caldwell, who sells both jewelry and crocheted items. Her main focus is a charm bar, where visitors can customize a bracelet or necklace by picking out charms to be put on a chain at her booth. She also has a wide selection of earrings.
Caldwell initially applied to be a vendor to help TBR Books & Tea celebrate its anniversary, but she ended up gaining a whole new audience from her appearance.
“It’s nice because it’s a different outreach,” Caldwell said. “I’m from the other side of the river, so I don’t often do events in Baton Rouge Parish.”
Another vendor in attendance was Rhianna Hilliard, an LSU sophomore who owns Saddle & Sip Café. She sells homemade cookies, dirty sodas and dirty energy drinks, which are made with flavored syrups and specialty toppings.
For her, this event was also an opportunity to get eyes on her business and continue growing.
Caldwell mainly operates her business through Instagram and Facebook pages, while Hillard operates mainly through her Facebook page.
The event attracted both repeat customers and new faces from the Baton Rouge area, creating a mix of customers who could celebrate the bookstore’s success together.
One first-time visitor was community member Abria Scott.
“I always wanted to come to TBR, so when I saw the event today on Instagram, it was like, ‘Oh, let’s come in and see the different things they have,’” Scott said. “I’m thoroughly happy with how this is set up.”
Kassie Morgan, a senior at LSU majoring in early childhood education, is a repeat customer who brought some of her friends for their first visit.
“I’ve been here before, and I saw this on Instagram,” Morgan said. “I thought it was really great that they were having a one-year celebration. I obviously want to celebrate a local business that’s been open for one year in Baton Rouge. And also, there were snow cones and tea and books. What a fun time.”
Morgan enjoys TBR Books & Tea because it’s a place she can shop while knowing she is making a positive impact in her community.
“It’s local, which is really nice,” Morgan said. “I like that they also have local vendors as well, so it’s a great outreach for the overall community. With the rise in the Barnes & Noble on every other corner, I think it’s really good to have the local bookstores in our area.”
After a year of business, Freeman reflected on how seeing the event play out made her feel.
“Surreal,” Freeman said. “It’s really exciting, honestly. Thinking back to where I was a little over a year ago and just getting all this set up, it’s kind of unbelievable that it’s here and it’s real.”
If you missed the Birthday Bash celebration, TBR Books & Tea has many events coming up. For more information, you can visit the TBR Books & Teas Instagram page.
