That was then…Houston 1946: there was only one “downtown” and only bbsoldoutside2.jpg one important book store and Brown was it. Touring authors stopped in for autographs and interviews. Intellectuals and celebrities strolled over from their hotels to check out the local scene. Ted and Sylvia Brown were knowledgeable, attentive, and engaging. They got whatever their customers wanted, but usually had it in stock.

Eventually the downtowns multiplied in Houston, and best sellers were available in every neighborhood. But Houston was – and is – the center of the oil industry, and many related and unrelated industries and specialties. Brown also evolved…into a technical bookstore, featuring the kind of books, codes, and materials sought by engineers, trades and construction people, scientists, and specialists in a wide variety of fields. This is Now…