“Pantego Books captures the magic of stories and creativity through its colorful shelves and immersive atmosphere.”
Beyond the Pages: The Heart of Arlington’s Local Bookstore
ABOUT MY ONE MINUTE DOCUMENTARY
By Londy Ramirez
Morgan and Lee Moore’s dream of opening an independent bookstore began during a trip to Washington, D.C., where they discovered a bookstore for sale after Lee ran a half marathon. Although they couldn’t afford it at the time, the idea stayed with them.
In January 2022, Morgan approached Lee about finally opening their own bookstore. After some thought and research, they filed for their business with the state of Texas on February 14, 2022. They started by hosting pop-up bookstores at local farmers’ markets, and due to increasing demand, they opened Pantego Books on October 8, 2022, in Dalworthington Gardens, Texas. They named the store after their hometown.
Inspired by A Colorful Dream at the Arlington Museum of Art, an exhibit that evokes childhood fantasy and imagination through vibrant, monochromatic worlds, Pantego Books captures the magic of stories and creativity through its colorful shelves and immersive atmosphere. The bookstore embodies the museum’s mission to foster creativity and serve as a cultural hub for the community. Much like the museum, it provides a sense of wonder and discovery, inviting people to explore their imaginations through books.
For Morgan, the most fulfilling part of running the bookstore is staying deeply involved with the community. The store hosts author events, book clubs, and partners with the local library, and Morgan especially enjoys watching the friendships that form within these gatherings.
One of Morgan’s most memorable moments was hosting Bookstore Romance Day, featuring authors Ruby Dixon, Kayla Olson, and Zw Taylor. “I knew that Ruby Dixon was a popular author, but I didn’t know the extent of her following,” Morgan said. Fans lined up three hours before the event, with some flying in with luggage still in hand and others driving for hours to be first in line. “It was really cool to watch these people meet an author they have loved for so many years.”
Morgan believes that a physical bookstore is important for the community. “Reading for many people is an escape,” she said. “They’re trying to connect with a character to get a better understanding of what’s going on in their life.”
Pantego Books offers a space for people to talk about books, share experiences, and discover new stories.
Meet Londy Ramirez
Born and raised in El Salvador, Londy Ramirez is a senior at the University of Texas at Arlington, pursuing a major in journalism with a minor in Spanish. She has contributed articles to the Arlington Sentinel News and is an active participant in the weekly broadcast of Arlington Sentinel News en Español. This semester, Londy is embarking on an internship with Projecto U at Univision 23, where she aims to further develop her expertise in the field.
In her free time, Londy enjoys listening to audiobooks, music, and podcasts. She also appreciates reading, spending time with friends, attending concerts, and traveling.
About AMA+UTA CreateCollab
Throughout the Fall 2024 semester, the Arlington Museum of Art is partnering with The University of Texas at Arlington and a senior-level digital storytelling class to explore a wide variety of contemporary themes inspired by the museum’s mission, values, and exhibitions.
Class projects include photo essays, one-minute documentaries, and one-minute podcasts about themes as broad as creating detailed flower arrangements, a life saving cat cafe, everyday heroes, and environmental art.
Associate Professor of Communication Erika Pribanic-Smith, who teaches the class, values opportunities to bring real-world experiences to her students.
“My goal is to give my students real-world experience in all of my classes, creating real stories using real sources,” said Dr. Pribanic-Smith. “Creating stories that will be published for the public to see, not just submitted for a grade, gives students extra incentive to put forth their best effort. Furthermore, working with professionals gives the students another layer of feedback to reinforce what they’re learning in the classroom. I prefer to work with organizations like the Arlington Museum of Art who will benefit in some way from the students’ content so that we are providing a service to the community.”
