Profile: Bliss Books & Wine
A good glass of wine, a great book– is there a better pairing?
Bliss Books & Wine owners, La'Nesha Frazier and La'Nae Robinson
Meet La'Nesha Frazier and La'Nae Robinson: sisters, avid readers, and founders of Bliss Books & Wine. Read on to learn how they built a community of book lovers, and provide so many with an opportunity to slow down, connect over a great read, and enjoy a glass of wine– or two!
How did Bliss Books and Wine get started?
My sister, turned partner, is actually the one that came up with the concept. Bliss Books & Wine was born of her pure frustration and necessity. Like many ventures, it was conceptualized to fill a void. She desperately needed a place she could go to decompress, have a glass of wine and finish reading her book. But no place existed for her to go! Men have their bars and cigar lounges they can frequent, but she had yet to discover a place just for her: a wife and a working mother of two who needed just an hour or so of silence, sipping and relaxation. So she decided to create her own. A place where one could bridge the gap between great social drinking and introverted reading. She found her bliss, and wanted others to find theirs as well. Thus, Bliss Books & Wine was born.
Can you tell us about your love for reading, and how you knew this was the career path for you?
My love for reading was instilled in me very early in life when my mother would read to us each night. Eventually, I took over the nightly readings and read to her and my younger sister (who did NOT appreciate these readings at the time). This love continued through my primary and middle school years. I always had books with me, as reading was my favorite pastime. In fact, when I got into trouble at home, my father would threaten to take away my books and send me outside to play instead of sending me to my room. He figured out quickly that in my room reading is exactly where I wanted to be!
True story, I created my own library in the basement of our home. I would make my sister, cousins and friends “check out” books from my personal collection; complete with their personalized library cards and signature cards inside of the books with stamped return dates. To this very day, one of my cousins still refers to me as “The Librarian”. This love continued through high school, off to college and eventually into my adult life. No matter where I moved, I carted boxes of books with me.
Remember the sister above that hated to read? Somewhere along the way, she came over to the dark side and became a book addict as well. I guess my librarian skills paid off! She pitched the idea for Bliss and I knew right away that she was onto something.
Though we are both trained in totally different fields from our business, reading is still our passion. When you tack on our fascination with wine exploration, starting the business seemed like a no brainer. We were both searching for that perfect place where we could enjoy both, and when neither of us found it, we joined forces and created our very own happy place. (That was not in our parents’ basement.)
What challenges has pandemic posed for your business, and for your reading community? Has it changed the way you plan events?
We were actually scouting storefront locations when COVID-19 hit. It definitely put a halt to our plans; however, luckily, we did not get locked into a lease at a time when our customers would not have been allowed to gather. As a new business, that would have been a dire blow. It has totally changed the way we plan our events, but what happens when you face a problem? You find a solution. We learned to pivot– moving all operations online. We were fortunate enough that our community moved online with us. During this period, we have expanded our following and the masses are excited for the time when we return to in-person events. So, the comeback for this setback should be remarkable.
As with all online retailers during the pandemic, shipping has been our biggest headache. However, our customers are AMAZING and have been extremely patient and understanding with any delays. We’re still not sure what our events will look like in the future, but we’ll find a way to make it work. We will find our bliss!
What type of events are you dreaming about for the future when it's safe for us to all get together again?
We will definitely resume our pop-up events. These events are near and dear to us, as they grant exposure to our talented local independent authors. In addition, we are in the process of coordinating paint & sip events at local art studios featuring local wineries. We also hope to resume our Booksgiving book drive to promote early childhood literacy and encourage families to read together. We’ve recently formed a great partnership with Reach Out & Read (shameless plug, we are a KC Strong sponsor for their Books On Tap event in September). As you can see, community is a key component of our business model and we love the partnerships we are establishing.
What are your favorite books of 2020 so far?
My favorite reads this year have been Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng and Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson. I’m currently reading (and enjoying) Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half.
Any tips for readers looking to start their own book clubs?
Just do it! Find a good group of individuals that you mesh well with; people that will be dedicated to the group and stay actively involved. I actually am a member of several book clubs that read different genres of books. One meets in my neighborhood, one meets virtually with members across the country, and of course there’s our Bliss “Wines & Spines” book club. I believe it’s a good idea to diversify; in addition to your “go-to” genre, you go beyond what you would normally select and broaden your internal bookshelf. Make sure you enjoy yourself! It should not be an event that you dread.
Your mission talks about bridging the gap between books and wine– where did the inspiration behind that connection come from?
That’s an easy one. I like to read and I like to drink wine while I do it! In all seriousness, life in general is busy and always bustling. Reading is my escape and I find my happy place when I’m lost in a good storyline. It relaxes me. I find similar satisfaction when I indulge in a fantastic glass of wine as those grapes tell a story as well. Couple those with a comforting place to enjoy the two together, or even separately, and I’m in heaven. I’ve found out over the past two years that many of us enjoy this same pastime. We’re all just looking for a place to convene.
How can people get involved in your reading community?
Since we are functioning 100% virtually at this time, the best way to get involved is on our website and social media channels. We are hosting virtual book discussions on the first Wednesday of every month. Our next event is Wednesday, September 2nd at 7pm Central. There is no criteria to join and no formal sign up; just drop in! We also have a Facebook Group dedicated to our book club (Wines & Spines by Bliss Books & Wine).
Follow along with Bliss Books & Wine online and at their social channels, below:
Facebook: BlissBooksWine
Instagram: @bliss_books_wine_kc
