There and Back Again Books features rare finds on San Antonio’s northeast side.
SAN ANTONIO — Veronica Rouse opened There and Back Again Books in June of 2025. Since then, the store has matured into curated treasure trove of literature, with a little something for everyone.
From history professors searching for primary sources to homeschool parents seeking educational resources, customers find an ever-changing inventory at the bookstore. Special finds have included a signed Ansel Adams book and a Shakespeare set dating back to the early 1800s.
In addition to books on the shelves, the store welcomes community for events, including a monthly book club, open mic poetry nights and readings from local San Antonio authors. The store is meant to be a “third place” where people can share stories and engage with their neighbors.
The bookstore is located at 8418 Broadway, just south of Loop 410, and is open weekly Wednesday to Sunday.
Rouse describes the bookstore as hidden away and says that is part of the magic of the store. Signs guide visitors down a hallway next to a boxing gym and into a book-stacked room illuminated by warm strings of light overhead.
Rouse says the greatest benefit to owning the store has been the connections she’s made with customers who’ve visited her store. Some visitors are regular customers that drop by every week, others are tourists from out of town.
There’s a monthly book club and regular open mic poetry nights. There and Back Again Books has a calendar of events, and Rouse plans to bring more book clubs and activity-driven events over the summer.
“Without the community, I would just be sitting in a warehouse of books,” Rouse says. “They don’t come alive until somebody takes them off the shelf and experiences them.”
