To support ReadingWithKids.org, The Hive Market in Grand Coteau is now selling second-hand books through the Bouquinistes project. The restaurant has dedicated a set of bookshelves offering a diverse reading selection including fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books.
Hive Market manager Phoebe Mouton explains the partnership, “Many people love books, and we definitely want them to be included here. We have book clubs who meet here. And we want to be a place where people can curl up with a good book and relax.”
ReadingWithKids.org is an initiative of the Acadiana Educational Endowment. AEE President, Joseph N Abraham MD, explains, “We are working to encourage parents to read to their children, even from the prenatal period. Supporting that, we want to create a general culture of reading for everyone across Acadiana, to strengthen our community and simultaneously encourage our children to read throughout their lives.
One of the projects our volunteers have taken up is to locate ‘<em>Bouquinistes,</em>’ small second-hand bookstores within other businesses. Our first was the Book-Book Bookstore for children in the Habitat for Humanity Restore in Carencro. This is our second, and The Hive Market offers exactly the kind of environment that is critical to this effort. It is a comfortable, leisurely environment that is ideal for books and reading.”
Mouton explains how this aligns with The Hive Market’s business philosophy: “The Hive is a small-town coffee house and market that strives to include local vendors, farmers, and artists. It’s a great place to sit and chat with a friend, and maybe meet a local stranger who might become a friend. We have something for everyone, from sweets to cheese.”
The Hive Market was designed with the priority of creating a strong emphasis on community. Mouton continues, “The two owners, my father Steven Mouton, and Heather Rose, moved from New Orleans to Arnaudville in 2022. Chicorys Coffee & Cafe here in Grand Coteau had just closed. They thought the area needed a good coffee shop and community gathering place.
“We started off slowly at first, but The Hive Market is starting to create a community. I think we’ve done a great job because it’s about so much more than money. It’s the legacy, it’s the people. No matter who you are, or where you’re from, everyone’s welcome here.”
Abraham concurs. “It is exactly this emphasis on community that makes The Hive Market and Acadiana great. In a community, everyone shares. We share food, drink, music, and in times of need, we share support with one another. Sharing books we love with our children and our friends is a perfect fit for our culture, and we hope that reading will become another integral part of our strong sense of community.”
The Hive Market is located at 202 East MLK Drive in Grand Coteau, phone number 337-962-1588. The shop is open from 7AM to 3PM Tuesday through Friday, and 8AM to 3PM Saturdays. It is closed Sundays and Mondays.
For more information, visit TheHive-Market.com.