What are the 3 adjectives you would use to describe your bookstore?

Celebratory, Intentional, Diverse

Share a quote from a book or poem that bares your bookstore’s soul.

Siempre pa’lante! (Always moving forward) 

Why was your bookstore founded/what role does it play in the community?

Cuentos y Café BIPOC Bookstore was born out of the deep desire to have a space where BIPOC stories could be at the center of the conversation. As a multiracial latina living in a predominantly white city, I was frustrated at having to dig around in mainstream bookstores to find stories that celebrated diverse experiences and not seeing enough of ourselves and our cultures reflected on the shelves of these bookstores, so we became intentional about making diverse books more accessible to our community.  

Together, we are partnering with local small businesses and nonprofits to create a platform in our community where stories written by amazing and talented BIPOC storytellers can shine, for more than just one month out of the year.

Which champion/warrior/wildcat (real or mythological) does your bookstore channel most?

Maya Angelou or Victor Hernandez Cruz 

What makes your bookstore unique?

Unlike traditional bookstores in the Asheville area, Cuentos y Café currently exists as both a pop-up and online space, intentionally bringing a curated selection of new and used books strictly by BIPOC and BIPOC LGBTQIA+ authors directly into the community. Our mission is not just to sell books—it’s to create space for belonging, celebration, and resistance through storytelling, wherever we are.

What is something that no one knows about your bookstore?

When the founder originally dreamed of starting the store, her then 8-year-old son had her convinced that he would set up shop outside the store to sell his used Pokémon cards. Now past the age where he thinks they’re cool, it’s funny to think that Cuentos y Café was almost a hot spot for middle-grade Pokémon aficionados.