This Adorable Waco Bookstore Has A Secret Narnia Wardrobe Entrance

By Kelsey Kennedy | December 20, 2024

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Local bookshops are often the cutest and most memorable part of a town, and Fabled Bookshop & Café in Waco is no exception. This independent bookstore is cozy, warm, and probably my very favorite shop in all of Waco…yep, even over the famous Magnolia Market!

Fabled Bookshop & Café has a regal exterior that looks like the cover to a fantasy novel. And that’s exactly what this entire shop feels like to me - a place full of magic and excitement.

And that’s not just because I’m a pure and unashamed bibliophile. It’s because Fabled makes it so easy for anyone to fall in love with books. So yes, even if you’re someone who says, “I’m just not a very big reader,” you’ll most likely walk into this local Waco store and immediately want to buy a book.

They do this by making the displays oh-so-cute! The entrance features two large tables with seasonal books (Christmas chick lit, Thanksgiving pie-making, New Years goal setting), as well as new bestsellers to grab your attention.

The small store is arranged by genre, so it doesn't feel too overwhelming. Near the entrance you’ll see “TRAVEL” and “GARDENING” and “FOOD.” Easy categories to browse and find something fun. And since there are dozens of staff recommendation cards tucked into the books throughout the store, you can literally read exactly what a staff member has to say about their favorite books. It’s so cute.

And it doesn’t hurt that there are the coziest reading nooks scattered throughout the store, inviting you to purchase a book, order a latte, curl up in a leather chair, and immediately start reading.

How To Find The Narnia Wardrobe in Fabled Bookshop

Head to the back of the store, which is where you’ll see the children’s section. But before you turn right to enter the (dreamy!) kids area, look over to your left and you’ll see a small wooden door.

Narnia entrance in Fabled Bookshop in Waco

Open it, feel your way through the layer of thick fur coats, push through to the other side and…voila! You’ll emerge in the magical land of the children’s bookstore at Fabled Book Shop!

(Is this designed for children? 100%. Did that keep me from walking through the wardrobe as a full-ground adult? Of course not. It’s magic and I wanted to experience it!)

The Children’s Section At Fabled Bookshop

If you want to help your children fall in love with reading, bring them to Fabled! Not only is the secret Narnia wardrobe entrance going to help them learn about the magic of books, but they’ll also get to browse the sweetest selection of children’s literature.

Fabled has curated shelves of Beloved Stories (Paddington Bear and The Narnia Series and The Jungle Book, etc.) board books and children’s picture books, and early readers juvenile fiction.

They have a weekly story time, which gives this bookshop more of a “library” feel. It’s cozy and quaint!

RELATED: FUN THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS IN WACO

5 Reasons You’ll Love Fabled Bookshop

Ok, do you need me to sell this any harder? Because I can! I adore an independent bookstore in any city! And Waco has so much local charm and a great tourism base, so I just want everyone to make sure they check out Fabled Bookshop. Here’s why you’re going to adore this place as much as I do:

1. They have a darling café. The Fabled Bookshop and Café is an open concept with a buzzing coffee shop right in the middle. They sell coffee beverages and small bites, as well as beer and wine. It’s constantly full of people on coffee dates, or working on their laptops, or reading their new books. I even call this place one of the best coffee shops in Waco.

2. They have so much more than books. Ok, so you’re like really not into books? Well, you should still visit this independent bookshop because they have all sorts of other gift ideas, gorgeous 1,000-piece puzzles, paper goods and stationery, pretty coffee mugs, cute arts and craft items for children, and even little costumes to accompany the children's books. There are coffee table books that are mostly sold to make a design-forward statement in your home, and all sorts of various gift ideas like custom totes, and gorgeous candles that you probably won’t find anywhere else in Waco.

3. The staff recommendations are so thoughtful. Each shelf of books at Fabled Bookshop has a few cards taped below noteworthy books, with written words on the card sharing exactly why the staff members recommend the books. These cards are so kind and thoughtful, and they really make you want to discover some new books.

4. Fabled Bookshop has the coziest reading nooks. They invite you to make yourself comfortable and stay a while. While many shops give off the feeling of “buy your book and get out of here,” it’s nice to walk into a local bookshop that seems to want you to slow down and stay for a while.

5. The book selection is fabulous. This is a small bookshop, so the staff have curated an excellent selection of books for you to browse. They’re working with small real estate, so every book counts!

Fabled bookshop is one of my very favorite kid-friendly things to do in Waco, a great date idea in Waco, or just a fun solo afternoon of browsing the bookshelves and finding my next favorite book. It’s walking distance from Magnolia Market, the Dr Pepper Museum, Pivovar Hotel and Brewery, Herringbone Hotel, and all sorts of other Waco hot spots. It’s an easy place to visit, and it’s probably going to become your very favorite place in Waco

WEBSITE | 215 S 4th St, Waco, TX 76701, United States