Natisha Asbell, owner of Authentic Books, will open a store in Ivanhoe Village this Spring.

From an online subscription box to a forthcoming storefront, Natisha Asbell is taking her pandemic business to the next level with the help of a grant from the Tory Burch Foundation and crowdfunding efforts. 

Photos by Roberto Gonzalez

The Birth of Authentic Books

One of the things that we lost in the onset and aftermath of COVID-19 was the connection that came from our respective networks and communities. Orlando local Natisha Asbell found a way to fill the void by merging the love of reading with the practice of self-care. 

“Although we became somewhat disconnected during the pandemic, it also gave us a moment to slow down and remember things that we used to love. For me, that was reading,” Asbell shared. 

The sentiment was well-received. Ironically, before its creation, Asbell had never used a subscription service or was aware of the online reader’s community,  Bookstagram. “I had this aha moment and thought, wouldn’t it be great to experience the books we read,” she said. She started this on a whim. Launching in September 2020, Authentic Books is an immersive monthly subscription service that indulges readers in all five senses. Readers get so much more than a book at their doorstep each month. Users can choose between two different boxes. Here’s how it works:

Sight: Subscribers begin their experience by picking from three new book releases signed by the author. The options are thriller, romance, or contemporary. 

Smell: Asbell and her team work with the authors to develop a scent inspired
by the story to create hand-poured soy wax candles. 

Taste: Whether a cocktail recipe or delicious decadent chocolate, readers will be transported to a scene in the story through a culinary experience. 

Touch: Each box also contains relaxing self-care items like whipped sugar scrubs with clever and unique connections to the chosen book.

Sound: Every book has a curated Spotify playlist to match the theme or time.

The Subscription That Unlocks Your Sixth Sense

As we moved back into the hustle and bustle of life in the post-pandemic era, finding time for self-care can be a chore. People are preoccupied with careers, relationships, parenting, and other day-to-day tasks. For many, engaging in self-care can feel like a selfish act. Asbell set out to challenge that feeling with Authentic Books. “Self-care does not always have to be about you. That is why we use other small businesses to help create the items inside the subscription boxes.” 

The items are handmade and passionately crafted by mainly woman-owned small businesses from all over. 

She says that the subscription service channels a sixth sense: heart. Authentic Book donates five percent of every membership to education and literacy programs. In their first year, they donated $3,000 to classrooms in Orlando. 

With this approach, Asbell says that giving back to communities can be a form of self-care.  

Authentic Books subscription boxes are carefully curated items paired with Asbell’s book selections for the month. Readers choose their journey; thriller, romance or contemporary.

The Location In Ivanhoe Village Was Serendipity

The mom of three started her business on a whim, but it was clear that this was what Orlando and the reading community needed. Three months after its launch, she quit her job to pursue her new business endeavor full-time.  

As for the brick-and-mortar location of Authentic Books, although she had no plans to open a bookstore, Asbell says it was pure fate. “Ivanhoe Village is a quirky area full of diverse and funky places. Ordinarily, I would be driving on a completely different road. But on that day, I found myself driving through Ivanhoe Village and saw the exact moment the landlord put the for lease sign up. I didn’t know how we were going to do it, but I knew it was our moment.” 

Although the location was perfect, the space needed to be gutted. It was an expensive renovation to get ready for a bookstore and retail component. Asbell shared that it has been a long road preparing for a grand opening, with most of the store being used as a workspace to fulfill monthly orders. 

“We didn’t have any funding outside of what came from our 600 subscribers. 

There were no business loans or anything like that.” Asbell shared. But as fate would have it, help was on the way. Asbell received an e-mail from the Tory Burch Foundation. She was a finalist for a grant. A grant that she forgot she applied to months prior. After an interview, Authentic Books received $20,000. She used that grant and crowd-funding efforts to bring a historic feat to the city. Authentic Books will be the first and only BIPOC and woman-owned bookstore in Orlando. 

Asbell says the Orlando community can expect a grand opening in February with a Galentine’s Day theme. 

What To Expect From Authentic Books In 2024

Asbell says one of her goals in the next year is to increase her presence locally by working with more schools and educators. 

“We want to be able to show our subscribers exactly where their money is going. We hope to be able to go into the local schools to offer self-care for teachers and sponsor more classrooms.” 

With the new space, she wants to host events for teachers, like a candle-making class. She also plans to work with other vendors and small businesses to allow them to host workshops and sell their items at Authentic Books. The bookstore will also be a location for a Silent Book Club chapter and feature a build-your-own subscription box experience. 

As Authentic Books continues to grow, Absell is reminded of her three daughters. “It’s been scary. As a mom, you want to be stable. But, I think it’s also important to show my girls that it is okay to do something scary and go after your dreams.”