If you ask any comic book fan what the thing they secretly desire to do is, Byron Canady said they will almost always say they’ve wanted to own a comic book store.

Canady was one of those fans who made his dream a reality by creating and opening Gulf Coast Cosmos Comics in 2020. Originally, GCCC started as an e-commerce store, but in 2021, it got its first brick-and-mortar in Houston’s Third Ward neighborhood. In 2025, it moved to its current location on Wheeler Avenue in the Third Ward.

What’s special about it: GCCC focuses on comics that have Black characters at the forefront.

“80% of our inventory is Black [characters],” Canady said. “In addition to that, we have a large selection of local independent comic books by local independent comic book creators."

What else: The shop also carries large publications such as Marvel Comics and DC Comics, as well as independent brands like Dark Horse, Image and Ignition. 

• 2408 Wheeler Ave., Houston

Caia, a cocktail-forward bar serving small bites, has opened in Rice Village.

What this means: Known for its small tables and intimate setting, Caia features a cocktail menu with drinks named Velvet Hour, Old Money, Golden Silk, Hidden Gem and Ace.

The food menu focuses on bar bites, including steak frites, grilled prawns, spicy rigatoni, lobster dip and cocktail shrimp.

More details: Navya Krish, a manager at Caia, said the team is excited to open in Rice Village. The space features 24 chandeliers, a giant red door and speakeasy-style décor, along with heavy velvet curtains, mirrors and ambient lighting.

Caia describes its concept as a cocktail lounge inspired by “the glamour of another era,” combining cocktails, food and a richly layered atmosphere. The restaurant is designed around an intimate setting for drinks, conversation and small bites.

• 2429 Rice Blvd., Houston

Houston Public Library has been awarded two grants from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, a state government agency that promotes literacy and historical preservation.

According to TSLAC, Houston Public Library applied for a Special Projects Grant to expand social services at its central library, train library professionals and improve service to customers in crisis at all its branches. The Special Projects Grant total is $73,200.

About the program: These grants are the result of a grant to TSLAC from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent federal agency made to support libraries across the country and promote literacy.

• 500 McKinney St., Houston

Travelers flying through Houston's William P. Hobby Airport now have a new off-airport parking option with the opening of Hobby Airport Parking on July 13, according to a news release from Paquin Public Relations.

What you need to know: Located 2.5 miles from the airport, the new facility offers uncovered and covered parking, along with complimentary shuttle service, according to the release.

Biopharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb has selected Generation Park for its new $2.3 billion manufacturing campus, officials announced in an Aug. 10 news release. The project is expected to bring nearly 500 jobs to the Houston area.

The big picture: The state-of-the-art 600,000-square-foot campus will enable BMS to manufacture multiple types of medicines, such as small molecules, biologics and antibody-drug conjugates. Per the release, the campus will be modular and multimodal to support long-term growth and allow the campus to evolve as needed.

The impact: Jobs created by the new campus will include operations technicians, production specialists, maintenance and engineering professionals, quality control and assurance experts, and site leadership and administration. Per the release, BMS also expects to create approximately 2,000 construction and other indirect jobs between 2027-30, while the facility is built.

Some context: Community Impact first reported BMS was considering Generation Park for a new manufacturing campus in May.

Community Impact is seeking input from Bellaire residents who would like to share their thoughts on the city’s plan for more commercial development in the new fiscal year that could result in easing parking regulations and creating one or more special districts. If you are interested, please reach out to [email protected]. Must be willing to speak on record.