Why we love Fawn and Fox Books, Oklahoma's pop-up bookstore
Local, independent bookstores have never been more important. With fair access to literature under political attack, bookstores are a bulwark against censorship and an asset to the communities they serve.
Each week we profile an independent bookstore, discovering what makes each one special and getting their expert book recommendations.
This week we have owner Katarina DeMaris of Fawn and Fox Books in Mcloud, Oklahoma!
What’s your store’s story?
Fawn and Fox Books is a small pop-up bookstore that is Indigenous and woman owned. We focus on community engagement and strive to get books into the rural Oklahoma community that surrounds us. Being a pop-up bookstore has its own unique challenges in addition to the normal challenges bookstores face.
What makes your independent bookstore unique?
Being a pop-up bookstore allows us to be moved where the community needs us. We are doing our best to bring books to rural Oklahoma and give back to the community. As the owner, I am the chair person of the Scholastic Book Fair volunteering countless hours at the school to run the program as well as volunteering in other areas in the community.
What's your favorite section in your store?
My pop-up is put together by wooden crates that can be stacked on top of each other giving a true traditional bookstore feeling. I have been told that the presentation is very appealing to the eye and draws the customers in. The wood crates and book scent always lingers in the booth and creates a comforting atmosphere.
What book do you love to recommend to customers and why?
It sounds cliche but I love to recommend "A Court of Thorns and Roses" series by Sarah J. Maas. She is the master world-builder to me, and everyone I have gotten to read it has loved it.
What book do you think deserves more attention and why?
I think that "Commanding Flame and Shield" by S.J. Barnett deserves so much more attention. It has to be one of my favorite books. It's a fantasy novel with a huge amazing world focusing on angels and demons with magic and past lives. The main character is the 500 year-old warrior female and the love interest is the young warrior that needs training. Of course there's a small amount of romance too.
Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important?
Shopping at an independent bookstore is so important because they give back to the community whether or not it is through community engagement or taxes. Indie bookstores are a place where all people can come together, be safe and enjoy something they love. Something I have learned as a millennial is we crave experience. In the digital age we can feel so alone and disconnected from each other that we will search for the little guy living their dream and shop local when we can to grasp that feeling of togetherness. The joy that comes to me when I talk to someone about my favorite books is overwhelming. So many times I have left an independent bookstore soaring from the connection of a favorite book and that's what I want from Fawn and Fox books. Connection is why independent bookstores are important.
What are some of your store's programs or partnerships coming up this quarter that you would like to share?
We’re popping up at Oklahoma Street Coffee in Mcloud, OK on Dec. 28 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meet Fawn and Fox Books, Oklahoma's pop-up bookstore
