There and Back Again Books
Rediscover Used and Vintage Books at
There and Back Again Books
By Rudy Arispe | Photography by David Teran
As a child growing up in Victoria, Texas, Veronica Rouse loved the touch of the pages and the smell of books she plucked from the shelves of the public library, although there were few in her home.
“Books were a luxury to own,” Rouse recalled. “But my mom would take me to the library, and that’s where my love for books began. My dream was to live in a library, and it was where I had my first job when I was 16.”
Although today she doesn’t live in a library, Rouse is doing the next best thing as owner of There and Back Again Books, a small but cozy bookstore that sells used and vintage books of all genres. She purchased the collection from the previous owner in June and has been adding her personal touch to the 1,700-square-foot space off Broadway. She invites you to step inside and explore the thousands of books waiting to have their pages turned.
“My goal is to love each and every one of them and find the right owner to take them home,” she said.
Before you head over, Rouse wants you to know that it’s a little tricky to reach the bookstore. She advises customers to enter on Crownhill at the corner of Broadway and Loop 410, and then proceed to the location adjacent to the Crownhill Office Building.
Once inside, you’ll see hundreds of books ranging from fiction and non-fiction, the classics, Texas history, Civil War, art, cookbooks, gardening, and science fiction, as well as novels in Spanish, Russian encyclopedias, and three volumes of the works of Shakespeare dating from the late 1800s. Most books are priced at no more than $8, Rouse said, although some rare and hard-to-find books can cost as much as $300-$500.
“There’s about 20 boxes of books in the loft that I haven’t even sorted yet,” Rouse said, adding that she plans to turn the loft into a reading room.
Her decision to buy the bookstore happened after a major health crisis in 2024, leaving her life in danger and leading her to be hospitalized twice. “When I was in the hospital, I told myself that if I get out, I’m not wasting my life on things that don’t bring me joy, peace, or goodness.” After being discharged, she started pursuing her dream of owning a bookstore.
Since opening, Rouse has been enjoying connecting with customers, who include parents with infants all the way to retired military. “It’s an honor to welcome such a wide range of customers into the space and learn their own stories,” she said. “It is such a balm to the heart and proves that having a ‘third place’ in the community is much needed.”
She also hosts a monthly book club, as well as game nights, craft workshops, and more.
There and Back Again Books, 8418 Broadway, Suite 124, is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays or by private appointment.
