306 Pearl Parkway #106, San Antonio, TX

Since I moved away from San Antonio in 2009, the Pearl Brewery area has absolutely exploded with development, and in a beautiful way. My friend Christina gave me a tour of the new digs, the coffee shops, hotel lobbies, plazas, and of course a beautiful little bookshop. It’s not a huge shop, but it’s a fun one, and fits the aesthetic of the updated neighborhood very well.

With doors and walls of windows on either end of the shop, it’s a bright and busy place to browse, with tables and displays scattered in between all piled with books, gifts, cards, candles, trinkets, bookmarks, and more, and boxes of extras were stacked beneath. There’s a lot going on in this shop and trying to describe how this area was here and that area was there is a bit foolhardy. Just walk inside and start looking. You can’t go wrong wherever you begin.

They had a large card rack, carts full of discounted titles, an awesome statue of a lion reading, and a fun looking children’s section with all kinds of books for little tykes up through YA readers. The mystery and fiction sections were solid, with a healthy dose of horror and sci-fi too. Not a ton, but a modest representation of the major genres, which I appreciate. Being a bookshop in Texas, they of course have a robust section for books relating to the city, state, and southwest region, with titles about local haunted spots, the San Antonio Spurs, western fiction, histories of cowboys, the Alamo, ranching, you name it.

They also had a section called “indie bestsellers” but it seemed like a lot of big name bestsellers to me, which is still fine since the selection was superb. I saw a few I really wanted but I kept myself to just one, Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero (which I later discovered to be not very good, but I wanted it badly). I also picked up an amazing carved walnut bookmark, which I have used every day since. I love it.

All in all, Twig is a fun shop for books and gifts alike, and a bookshop is always welcomed in any neighborhood development project. No city is complete without a good bookshop or ten, and Twig certainly helps make San Antonio a great city for books and book lovers!

Atmosphere — Bright, busy, and fun, with gifts, art, books, boxes, carts, and displays all over the place.

Quality — The books were new and in great shape.

Quantity — For a smaller shop, they really packed the books in. Plenty to browse through here!

Diversity — They had a nice array of books, both fiction and nonfiction, and a big area for books focusing on things pertinent to Texas and the city.

Affordability — They had a few discounted books, but mostly it’s standard pricing.

Amenities — Just a chair or two, but there are a ton of great cafes nearby, so don’t worry about that here.

Location — Right in the middle of the gorgeous new Pearl Brewery development as you head downtown. If you haven’t been yet, definitely check it out!

Customer Service — The staff were pleasant and helpful.

Overall — This is a nice neighborhood shop if you’re looking to pick up that new bestseller or you need a shiny new copy of a classic. Stop in!