A look into the diverse novels that are shelved at the Scales & Tales bookstore.
Photo by Scales & Tales
Slithering through West Palm Beach, you can find one of the most inclusivity-driven bookstores in town. Owner and manager Rebecca Green shares the story behind Scales & Tales, a pagan and LGBTQ+ friendly bookstore that opened Oct. 29.
The bookstore’s name is representative of its operating a reptile rescue alongside a unique collection of novels. “If you have a reptile that you can’t keep for whatever reason: money, time, space,” Green says, “we can take them in and make sure that they’re well cared for until we find them another home.”
The bookstore fosters two leopard geckos, Sappho and Peridot, a bearded dragon named Himbo and a betta fish named Lito. But don’t let a fear of reptiles keep you away: These fascinating critters are caged and safe.
One beloved rescue, a spotted gecko, chooses the Book of the Month. He is known to have pretty good taste. Last year, Green found herself lost in the next step of her life. Unsure of what to pursue, she withdrew from school and decided to chase her dreams. Fueled by passion and the support of loved ones, she curated a space for reading and community.
“The story behind Scales & Tales as a whole is me looking for a way that I can provide to my community,” Green says. “I want to focus on books that are diverse and fully capture how diverse life is. It’s important to me because the friends that I have are from all walks of life, and I want to make sure that they are all represented in my store.”
Independently owned, Scales & Tales carries books from many genres, but the most demanded is fantasy. The store stocks an impressive array of fantasy novels.
Scales & Tales also curated a community-centered lounge. The lounge is available for private event hosting, but is otherwise open to the public.
It is the perfect space to study, relax and enjoy a peaceful day with a cold-brewed coffee.
“Our tables are available for everyone to use. We really wanted a place where people can come and hang out,” Green says.
Green curates events in the space for the inclusivity and wellness of all individuals. The space presents trauma healing groups, meditation guides, game nights, yoga sessions, palm readings and queer-eoke, among others.
One of the most anticipated events is an amateur drag show, Green says. “Anyone can sign up, do their first drag-show performance and try to get their name out there.”
Scales & Tales’ events in March include an introduction to universal paganism and open-mic poetry for artists and poets.
You can learn more about the bookstore on Instagram (@scalesntalespbc), Facebook (Scales & Tales) or the web (scalesntalespbc.com).
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