Turning the page: Former San Jac student finds her way to heart of indie bookstore
“Ahem.”
Brazos Bookstore general manager Randi Null looked up to find a 20-something woman leaning against the counter, red creeping up her face. She waited until her date, a regular customer, disappeared around the corner.
“I’ve never read a book before,” she confessed. “Can you help me figure out where to start?”
Null smiled. For the former San Jacinto College student who has built her life one chapter at a time, helping someone begin is the whole point.
Raised on stories
Null barely remembers a time without a book in her hands. At 4, she memorized “Green Eggs and Ham,” convincing her parents she could read it cover to cover.
Her aunt, a voice artist for books for the blind, helped turn curiosity into devotion.
“When you have someone who can do all the fun voices … and get you your first library card, it’s very influential,” she said.
From childhood through her teen years, Null was always skimming a page, whether perching in her front yard oak tree with a Baby-Sitters Club book or shelving library books.
San Jac chapter
Despite loving literature, Null wasn’t committed to any career by high school graduation, but she did want a degree.
From waiting tables to substitute teaching, she juggled up to four jobs to avoid student
loans. Her San Jac instructors understood and respected the balancing act.
“I didn’t have professors who talked down to me,” she said.
Today, as a manager, she draws on that same peer-to-peer approach she experienced at San Jac. Almost zero student loan debt — along with smaller classes and personal attention — is why she still recommends the College.
After nearly completing her associate degree, Null transferred to the University of Houston-Clear Lake, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and graphic design.
Curveball
Null started her career in sports marketing, working with the Astros and Texans and Minor League Baseball teams. She later earned her alternative teacher’s certification and taught college readiness and math skills.
By 2023, she had spent six years teaching and completed a master’s degree in business administration. Still, something felt unfinished.
Reflecting on her passions, Null kept returning to books. That reflection led her to Brazos Bookstore in the Rice area, where she paused in front of the sparse staff picks wall.
“Any chance you’re hiring?” she asked.
Not only was the bookstore hiring, but it was looking for a new general manager. Although Null had no independent bookstore experience, she trusted her background and adaptability would speak for themselves.
“I learned a lot of flexibility and creativity from sports marketing,” she said. “There’s no control over what happens on the field. At the bookstore, we [also] play with what we’re handed.”
A place to belong
Null joined Brazos Bookstore in November 2023, determined to honor the store’s 50-year history while bringing it into a new era.
“We had a reputation for being a store for serious readers,” she said. “[Today,] I hope everyone feels they’ll find a book at Brazos.”
If you haven’t been reading, you’ve been watching. Tell us about shows, movies, and music you like. We’ll have the time of our life matching you with something.
Brazos Bookstore doesn’t follow the Amazon algorithm. Instead, it’s a destination for works in translation, small-press releases, and connection.
The store now hosts a romance book club, poetry open mic nights, and community events from puppy adoptions to eyeglasses recycling.
“People don’t want just a place to shop but a place where they belong,” Null said.
Page turner
Null recalls the embarrassed woman on the date. That’s exactly the reader she hopes walks into Brazos Bookstore.
“We’re not going to judge you or your reading habits,” she said. “We just want you to read.”
For newcomers, try the staff favorites wall or, for a mood boost, the children’s section. (No judgment if you sit crisscross applesauce on the floor with a picture book.) For instant gratification, pick up a short story, poetry, or essay collection.
Stuck? Your Netflix history or Spotify playlist can help.
“If you haven’t been reading, you’ve been watching,” Null said. “Tell us about shows, movies, and music you like. We’ll have the time of our life matching you with something.”
Everyone starts somewhere. For Null, that beginning took shape in San Jac classrooms. Now, she helps others find theirs — one book, one brave question, and one turned page at a time.
Learn how to start your journey at San Jac
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
