How TikTok's "Book Papi" Is Bringing Back the Magic of Summer Reading
Adrian Cepeda's summer vacations didn't involve much travel while growing up in Jackson Heights (a neighborhood in NYC's borough of Queens) during the 1990s and early 2000s. Though his mother couldn't afford to take him on fun trips while he was a kid, she nurtured in him a love for books, through which he adventured vicariously through fictional characters and fantasy worlds. Now 30 and known as the "Book Papi" to over 35,000 followers across social media, Cepeda hopes to spark that magical connection to summer reading through block parties he's hosting all summer long, outside of his store, the World's Borough Bookshop, which is located right across the street from where he grew up.
"Some people think books are really high brow and only for intellectual readers, but I want to make reading fun and bring books to the streets of my neighborhood," Cepeda says. "I also want to make reading fun for adults, and what better way to do that, especially in the summertime, than hosting parties outside with music and food? This helps me bring my community together."
Since opening in August 2023, Cepeda has transformed the World's Borough Bookshop into a "Third Place" by creating a comforting meeting space apart from home, work, or school for locals and visitors alike to gather for author talks, yoga and meditation practices, arts and crafts, small-business markets, or even just a cup of coffee. It's a space where anyone could create a meaningful Sunday ritual of their own, beyond just wandering into a bookstore.
But at its heart, that's exactly what it is. Behind an otherwise unassuming black door on the first floor of a low-rise apartment building, Cepeda turned a small vacant retail space into New York City's first Ecuadorian-owned bookstore and one of the city's most vibrant and diverse bookshops. On the colorful bookshelves – painted to emulate the bright rooftops of homes across Latin America – every single book available in the store is written by BIPOC authors.
"It was important to me to specifically open a bookstore like this because I grew up without reading BIPOC-authored books," Cepeda says. "Queens has long been deficient in bookstores compared to Brooklyn and Manhattan. So I wanted to make a bookstore here that represents the culture and the languages of the communities that have always been here and continue to thrive here."
Before finding a permanent home for the World's Borough Bookshop, Cepeda was a traveling bookseller, lugging stacks of books to different pop-up markets and successfully introducing readers to new BIPOC authors they hadn't heard of before. When the 2020 pandemic hit and pop-up markets came to a halt, Cepeda gained a following on TikTok by sharing his book recommendations and documenting his journey of opening his flagship store. He was always honest about the challenges behind funding his bookstore — like sharing defining moments in which he won grants for seed funding or didn't make the cut on other grants. "It's important, especially for POC communities, to be transparent about how difficult and all the trials and tribulations that we have to face to start a business," Cepeda says.
As a single father, Cepeda adds that his 6-year-old daughter is another motivating source of inspiration for the bookstore. Inside the shop, you will find a cozy kids' playroom with building blocks and walls lined with children's books, which Cepeda says are inspired by what his daughter and her friends are reading.
"She's the reason why I chose [to open a store by age] 30, because when she goes into first grade, I want to make sure she and all her friends can go into the bookstore and see books that reflect them and their experiences in their different cultures," he says.
Cepeda pays respect to Queens' diversity all throughout his store — including by honoring its place as the most internationally diverse borough in New York City. He prominently displays local authors and makers, and has a bright custom mural painted by Queens-based Colombian artist Andrea Pardo that reads "the world is yours," a nod to Queens rapper Nas's song of the same name. He also aims to provide programming that's reflective of Queens' multicultural and inclusive communities, like his recent Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month market and Pride Month artist showcase. The shop's prime location on 34th Avenue, one of New York City's longest car-free pedestrian walkways, perfectly aligns with the outdoor gatherings and book-centered events Cepeda has slated for this summer.
"Summer in Queens is unmatched. Once the sun is out, everyone starts to barbecue, kids are outside on their bikes, and everyone is just instantly happier no matter how old you are," Cepeda says. "I create these events to give people a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle and have another space to enjoy themselves."
Zameena Mejia is a Dominican American freelance writer born and raised in New York City. She is passionate about storytelling and uplifting diverse voices in beauty, wellness, and Latinx lifestyle. Zameena holds a BA in journalism and Latin American studies from the State University of New York at New Paltz and an MA in business reporting from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism.