Beausoleil Books - Lafayette, LA

Beausoleil Books, Lafayette, LA

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Bright people = bright store = beautiful sun.  Or as it's called here in Lafayette, Beausoliel Books.  On the day of my visit the name of the store was perfect, a beautiful sunny day.  The culture in this community has a deep French heritage and that shows up in everything at this terrific new bookstore.  Everything from the store name, the open and closed sign (ouvert et fermé), the book of the month (book du mois) to the books written in French for all ages that sell very well.  What a fresh bookstore model that differs from the ordinary.

This is the exterior entrance to the Whisper Room.

The big thing here for this store is the Whisper Room, the adjacent bar that is under the same business umbrella, and the events.  The Whisper Room opens at 4pm and offers adult beverages and menu items like a variety of crepes, very French.  The events are a balance of book-themed and community.  I love that they have an event called "Beginning The Conversation" that is hosted by a professional therapist and offers an introduction to helping people with mental health concerns.  What a great event opportunity.  Or pay a visit to one of the store's monthly poetry readings.  This is merely the tip of the iceberg for store events.

The store offers a combination of new and used books, organized and arranged neatly throughout the space.  I thought the sidelines were excellent and many are produced by local artists.  Many of the greeting cards and candles are created locally as well.  You'll find home-made jams here that sell very well.  Additionally, their variety of stickers are selling very well, something that has been true in my last several bookstores visited. 

This indie opened their doors in October of 2020, another "pandemic baby."  I can tell the store is blessed with owners and staff who are smart, talented, and creative.  I enjoyed meeting James, one of the 4 co-owners, but the star of the show at this bookstore is Alexis, the store manager.  She's the one who makes things 'go' (including the ambitious events schedule) and is many times the face of the store.  The sky's the limit here and I think there are big things to come for Beausoleil.  

So the store's been open for over a year and oddly enough not everyone in the community knows about it yet.  What gives, Lafayette?  A wonderful store, with a great downtown location, and friendly, knowledgeable people.  I'd say this is a winning combination.  Discover this gem and enjoy the beautiful sun at Beausoleil. Books.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

CURRENTLY READING:  Mycroft Holmes, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Anna Waterhouse. 

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  J'ai Emmené la Lune se Promener, Carolyn Curtis & Alison Jay.  4 "shut your pie hole" stickers. 

If I get to come back to this store, I want it to be a day like this so I can plop down here with my Coke and a book. 

Beautiful logo on the exterior window. 

View looking into the store from the front entrance. 

View looking to the right from the front entrance.  Can you say comfy?!

Looking directly to the left from the front entrance.  The door you see is the inside entrance to the Whisper Room. 

Lots of seats with good counter space at the front of the store.

Relevant table display for Black History Month. 

Not sure I'd be very good at this game but it sure sounds like fun.

You'll find a variety of unique sidelines, many created by local artists.

Browse this long wall of fiction straight to Alexis at the checkout counter. 

A few of the staff favorites. 

Find these shelves for some bargains. 

Just a few of the books available that address social issues. 

Most bookstores call this the book of the month. 

Display of books turned into movies.  Isn't the book always better?!

A Coke, a book, and head out front to enjoy a beautiful day. 

Stickers are selling well everywhere I've been.  The "shut your pie hole" sticker was my pick for bestseller. 

Looking for a bargain?  Watch for this sticker on the books. 

Some of the books available with local and regional interest. 

Just a few of the French language editions available. 

Partial view of the children's area. 

Overview of the store looking from the back toward the front entrance. 

You can enter the Whisper Room from the outside sidewalk or through this door on the inside of the bookstore.

View looking into the Whisper Room from the front entrance.  I love the colors. 

Lots of great seating options in the Whisper Room. 

Welcome!  En Français. 

The Whisper Room bar area. 

Looking from the bar toward the front entrance. 

With Alexis, the fine store manager at Beausoleil Books.  Thanks for a great visit.