For The Story Room Collective, a bookstore is about much more than what’s on the shelves. It’s about creating a place where people feel welcome, discover something new and, most importantly, feel like they belong.
The Latina-owned indie bookstore began as a pop-up, traveling to local markets throughout Orlando for a year and a half before finding a home inside Goblin Studios at 805 W. Central Blvd. in the Parramore District. For its owner, Estefania Lazaro, downtown Orlando was the natural fit.
“Downtown felt like the only place that made sense,” she says. “It’s walkable, full of independent art and culture, and there’s a real hunger here for community spaces that aren’t just retail, they’re gathering places.”
Today, The Story Room Collective is part bookstore, part creative hub and part community gathering place. Visitors can browse a curated selection of books, discover local and indie authors, shop stationery from Vintage Ink Stationery, or grab a coffee and cookie from the Van Gohblin Cafe. Depending on the day, they might also find themselves joining a pottery session, building a fairy garden or simply settling in to enjoy a good book.
Community is at the center of The Story Room Collective’s programming. The store creates themed versions throughout the year, including an upcoming Stars Hollow Edition for Gilmore Girls fans on September 26. The bookstore hosts a book club on the last Saturday of every month, along with Plot & Pavement, an audio walking book club for readers who would rather move while they listen. And for those looking for a little magic, The Witching Hour is coming up September 6 at 10 a.m. at A La Cart. The Practical Magic-themed event will feature yoga, a screening of Practical Magic, movie bingo and drink specials, with tickets available through The Story Room Collective’s website.
The store is also celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 through October 15, with a curated Book Box highlighting four incredible Latinx authors. The month will culminate in a cafecito chat with the writers, giving readers an opportunity to connect directly with the authors and the stories being celebrated.
From discovering an indie author to taking a chance on a mystery book, joining a walking book club or simply spending an afternoon with a coffee and a good read, The Story Room Collective is helping make downtown Orlando a place where stories - and the people who love them - can come together.