BUDA — Two Doors Down Bookshop opened Oct. 24 in downtown Buda. Owner Sarah Ray said she wanted a calm, welcoming space where customers could browse, drink coffee and linger, which pop-up and online sales did not offer.
Ray moved to Buda in 2020 after 14 years in education. She later worked in operations for a local business, where she learned what it takes to run a company. A friend then asked whether she had considered opening a bookshop. Ray said she first ran a pop-up and online bookstore and joined the Buda Economic Development Corporation's cohort in January to refine her business plan.
Ray first planned to open in The Roundabout in Buda. After the timeline grew longer than expected, she chose the historic home at 200 S. Main St., which became available in May. She received the keys Oct. 1, but her funding fell through at the last minute. Friends started a GoFundMe, and that money, along with her own contributions, let her proceed with the opening. Ray said the store's name comes from a Dolly Parton song.