A new bookstore in San Marcos will open its doors on Jan. 11, following a ribbon-cutting event the day before.

Julie Tots, Books-A-Million general manager, said the bookstore fills the void of the current bookstore situation in San Marcos because it is an independent bookstore with a wide variety.

“There are special gifts like Loungefly that everyone likes, there are certain brands like [Lorcana] collectible playing cards and things that people are big fans of [and] things you can’t necessarily get anywhere else without having to order,” Carrie Casillas, Books-A-Million co-manager, said.

Clarence Antill, Books-A-Million district manager, said San Marcos was a good fit for the bookstore due to the area’s expansion and continued growth.

“We don’t have a presence over in this area of Texas,” Antill said. “Between Austin [and] San Antonio, there’s no presence of Books-A-Million here.”

Books-A-Million has been family-owned since 1917 and started out as a corner newsstand. Since then, Antill said it embraced independent book companies and is proud to be individually owned.

Books-A-Million had a soft opening on Dec. 7. Compared to Jan. 11, that day focused more on business than promotions. Casillas said the team “hit the ground running” getting set up last month and learning about the bookstore, believing the process was a smooth success.

Books-A-Million will host giveaways, promotions and family events from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the San Marcos Premium Outlets. Unlike smaller bookstores in San Marcos like Green Heron, which focuses on donations and gifts, Books-A-Million offers other items such as pop culture accessories, toys and games.

Antill said people were thrilled about Books-A-Million’s presence in San Marcos during its opening.

“Everyone’s asking, ‘How long have you guys been here?’ And then when we tell them, ‘We’re very new,’ they say, ‘Oh good, I wasn’t just missing it,’ because they’re all super excited,” Casillas said.

Books-A-Million experienced more foot traffic in the past few weeks due to its only promotion which focused on Christmas. Casillas said people would browse the outlets and happen to chance upon the bookstore.

Books-A-Million plans to get more involved with the community. Although Antill said it missed its Christmas book and toy drive due to its opening in the last week of the drive, there are multiple to look forward to this year local and worldwide. These include Coffee for the Troops in the spring and fall and book drives partnering with local school districts.

For more information on Books-A-Million and its items, visit https://www.booksamillion.com/.