Building Community Over Audiobooks
An interview with The Fleuria in Los Angeles, CA
May 20, 2026
*Pauses audiobook*
Ahhh, May. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and flowers are blooming everywhere. Which means it’s officially reading-in-the-park season and its-not-too-hot-yet audiobook walking season. The joys of being a reader!
One thing I’m especially looking forward to in the coming months is the latter—and not just my daily solo walks, but walks with friends and other readers. Last month, at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, I co-led an audiobook walk with The Fleuria, and later this month, I’ll be walking with my local bookshop, Green Apple Books. (June is also Audiobook Month and we’re working with our bookselling partners across the globe to host audiobook meetups, including walks; stay tuned for more info.)
As an adult, I’ve found it so much harder to meet new friends, and I know many others feel the same. Audiobook walking clubs can be a great way to put ourselves out there and connect with others over a shared interest. There’s also the benefit for our mental health of course, whether that is through connection, unplugging, or movement.
After our walk with The Fleuria, I knew I wanted to chat more with Stephanie, the store’s founder and owner, about their beloved walking club. The Fleuria is a mobile bookshop in Los Angeles, operating out of a vintage Volkswagen Transporter. They pop up around local coffee shops, boutiques, breweries, and more to showcase a collection of romance, fantasy, and fiction. And, soon, they’ll also be operating out of an Airstream (wait until you see the pics—a book lover’s dream).
Without further ado, read on for an interview with Stephanie!
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An interview with The Fleuria
The following has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Your book truck and airstream (coming-soon) are amazing—full of personality and charm. What made you want to open a mobile bookstore and upcoming location in an airstream? Have you found any unexpected benefits or challenges?
I’ve always loved spaces that feel immersive and a little transportive, and I think books naturally lend themselves to that. When I started thinking about opening a bookstore, I knew I wanted it to feel approachable and full of personality. I also came from a background in marketing and creative direction in the beauty industry, so I was very set on finding a vehicle that felt visually memorable and beautifully branded. Even though it meant learning to drive stick shift, the vintage truck felt worth it.
One of the biggest unexpected benefits has been how community-driven the model is. We’ve been able to pop up at festivals, coffee shops, markets, and small businesses all over Los Angeles, where people naturally gather and every stop attracts a slightly different reader community.
The Airstream was actually a really unexpected opportunity. The shopping center reached out to us for a pop-up, and once I saw the space, it immediately felt like a natural fit for The Fleuria and a fun way to create a more permanent home for the bookstore while keeping the same charm as the truck.
Of course, there are definitely challenges too. Running a bookstore out of vintage vehicles means there’s always something to problem-solve, like quite a bit of mechanical issues, but I think those quirks are also part of what makes the experience feel special.
Last month, we were able to co-host an audiobook walk with y’all at the L.A Times Festival of Books—and it was so much fun! How long have you been hosting audiobook walks, what has the response been, and why do you think they’ve become so popular?
The audiobook walks started a little over a year ago almost as an experiment. I’ve been an audiobook listener for as long as I can remember. This might date me, but my first audiobooks were library cassette tapes when I was a kid. I also love walking, and honestly, a lot of our events come from me planning things I personally would want to do and hoping other people want to join too.
I kept thinking there had to be other readers looking for a low-pressure way to meet people outside of a traditional book club. For our first walk, I was hoping maybe five people would show up. Instead, around 50 people came, and it’s grown from there. We now regularly see 50–100 people at our walks, with our biggest one bringing together more than 150 readers.
I think the walks have resonated because people are craving connection, but they also want something that feels approachable and easy to join. There’s no assigned reading and no pressure to socialize the whole time. We usually meet for coffee before the walk and linger afterward, but everything is optional. People can come alone, listen to their audiobook, meet new friends, or just enjoy being outside around other readers.
Audiobooks already fit so naturally into people’s daily lives, and I think the walks celebrate that in a really joyful way.
What’s been one of your favorite events the store has hosted so far, and what’s a dream event?
One of my favorite events we’ve hosted so far was a gingerbread house competition over the holidays with a few of my favorite romance authors. It was such a fun event to plan, but honestly the best part was seeing how creative everyone got and watching readers who had never met before end up bonding over frosting and candy for two hours.
I think my favorite events are always the ones that take something people already love doing and giving it a bookish twist. There are so many great events out there already, whether it’s a supper club, a craft night, or a wellness event, but I love creating versions where readers instantly know they’ll be surrounded by like-minded people. There’s something really special about walking into a room and immediately having that shared connection.
As for a dream event, I have way too many ideas. But I’d love to do some kind of immersive weekend getaway for readers one day, something that combines books with beautiful locations, good food, and unique experiences. I lived in Asia after college for a few years and I think it would be fun to bring readers to a part of the world that’s so vibrant for a bookish adventure.
We can’t let you go without asking for your go-to audiobook recommendations. Which stories do you think our readers should listen to?
One audiobook I still think about constantly is The Favorites by Lane Fargo. I listened to it over a year ago and genuinely still cannot get the characters out of my head. The story is incredible on its own, but the full-cast narration makes it even better.
A few romance audiobooks I’ll probably recommend forever are The Romance Rivalry by Susan Lee, which made me so giddy, and All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata, a really beautiful slow-burn romance. I also loved The Best Worst Thing by Lauren Okie, which somehow made me laugh and cry in equal measure.
That’s a wrap on this edition of Headphones On 🎧 Thanks so much to Stephanie and The Fleuria for answering our questions! We will be back in the coming weeks with a digest of recommendations for your TBR.
Are you reading anything great these days? Or maybe there’s an upcoming event at your bookshop you can’t wait to attend? Let us know!
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Thanks again for reading! Feel free to now return to your audiobook.
*Presses play*
Coming to you from San Francisco, this newsletter is written by me, Olivia Butze—hi! As the Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, you’ll find me running our social media accounts, creating brand campaigns, and working on all things email related. I’m passionate about storytelling as a catalyst for societal change, and my favorite activities include long audiobook walks, drinking matcha lattes, and reading in Golden Gate Park.