Today we’d like to introduce you to Nichole Crites.
Hi Nichole, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Like many readers, I’ve always loved books, but I found myself longing for the sense of wonder and discovery that often seems to fade as we grow older. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, many of us stop making space for imagination. We become consumed by responsibilities, schedules, and obligations. I wanted to create a place that invited people to reconnect with that feeling by experiencing a little nostalgia, a little wonder, and perhaps a little magic again.
Professionally, my background is in healthcare leadership, where I’ve spent over 20 years focused on operations, strategy, and building strong teams. While that may seem worlds away from bookselling, many of the same principles apply: creating meaningful experiences, building community, and understanding what people need. The bookstore became an opportunity to combine those skills with a lifelong passion for reading and storytelling.
I opened The Wyrd & Wand Archive in historic downtown Waxahachie with a focus on fantasy, science fiction, classics, and occasionally a surprise special edition or two. From the beginning, the goal was never simply to sell books. I longed for a place where teens and adults could feel the same excitement they experienced when they first wandered through a library, opened a favorite childhood book, or visited a bookfair. A place where curiosity is encouraged, and imagination is celebrated.
Today, The Wyrd and Wand Archive hosts book clubs, craft nights, author events, reading challenges, Dungeons & Dragons sessions, and other community experiences designed to bring people together through stories. I’ve found that what people are often searching for isn’t just a good book… it’s connection, belonging, and permission to embrace the things that once inspired them.
It’s still a very young business, but seeing customers return with friends and family, discovering new favorite books, and sharing memories of the stories that shaped them has confirmed that we built exactly the kind of place I hoped to create: a place that adds a little magic back into adulthood and reminds people that wonder doesn’t have to be left behind with childhood.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, but I don’t think any worthwhile adventure ever is!
One of the biggest surprises has actually been a very positive one: the incredible support we’ve received from the community. When the space first opened, we did our best to forecast inventory needs, but there is only so much you can predict on paper. The response from readers was far greater than anticipated, which meant I quickly found myself learning how to balance inventory levels, reorder timelines, and customer demand in real time. It’s the kind of challenge every small business hopes to have, but it definitely came with a learning curve.
We’ve also learned that owning a business housed in a historic building comes with its own unique personality. Our building has been standing since the late 1800s, and every now and then it likes to remind us of that fact. Whether it’s uncovering quirks we didn’t know existed, troubleshooting the occasional century-old surprise, or figuring out how to blend modern operations with historic charm, there’s always something new to learn. I often joke that the building is one of our most opinionated team members.
That said, those challenges have become part of the story. I feel that the overwhelming community support and the character of our historic space are both reasons The Wyrd & Wand Archive feels special.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Professionally, my background is in healthcare operations. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to lead multidisciplinary teams, oversee complex clinical operations, and help organizations navigate growth, change, and integration. Much of my career has focused on bringing people together around a common goal, improving processes, and creating environments where both teams and the people they serve can succeed.
While healthcare and bookselling may seem like very different worlds, I’ve found that the skills that make someone successful in one often translate surprisingly well to the other. At their core, both are about understanding people, building trust, solving problems, and creating meaningful experiences.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a specific title or accomplishment, it’s building communities. Whether that’s helping develop high-performing teams in healthcare or creating a welcoming space for readers at The Wyrd & Wand Archive, I’ve always been drawn to work that brings people together and leaves something better than I found it.
I think what sets me apart is that I don’t come from a traditional bookselling background. The Wyrd and Wand Archive wasn’t created because I wanted to open a retail store; it was created because I wanted to create an experience. Every decision, from the atmosphere and events to the way we curate inventory, is guided by the question, “How will this make someone feel?” We want visitors to feel wonder, nostalgia, curiosity, and connection.
The thing I’m probably most known for, both professionally and personally, is a willingness to take on ambitious challenges and learn as I go. Opening an independent bookstore while leading a career in healthcare certainly wasn’t the conventional path, but it has allowed me to combine strategic thinking with creativity in a way that is incredibly fulfilling.
At the end of the day, I’m most proud of creating spaces where people feel they belong.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
It’s hard to choose just one favorite childhood memory but so many of them revolve around two things: getting into harmless mischief with my sisters and going on adventures with my grandmother.
My grandmother managed a bookstore in Dallas when I was young, and looking back, many of my most treasured memories were made there. At the time, I don’t think I realized how special it was. I just knew that I got to spend time surrounded by books and stories. One of my favorite things was getting to see the new arrivals before anyone else. It felt like being let in on a magical secret, like I had access to hidden treasures that the rest of the world hadn’t discovered yet.
I also remember hiding among the shelves when my parents came to pick me up because I wasn’t ready to leave. In my mind, staying a little longer was always the better option. What I didn’t appreciate then was how much those moments were shaping me. The feeling of wonder, discovery, and belonging that I found in that bookstore stayed with me long after childhood.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wyrdandwand.com
- Instagram: @wyrdandwand
- Facebook: /wyrdandwand
- Other: @wyrdandwand on TikTok
