Among the Walmarts, Targets, and other big box stores, a refreshing trend is the resurgence of the independent bookstore!
A 2022 New York Times article linked the resurgence to backlash from the COVID-19 pandemic. The article announces that people seek “real recommendations from real people.”
In-store, in-person shopping has an apparent timeliness appeal that has generated interest in small local independent bookstores seeing increased traffic by would-be readers.
Lisa and I enjoy visiting such bookstores when we visit a new town. We most recently visited Parnassus Books in Nashville. This quaint and inviting bookstore is located near the popular Green Hills Mall in Nashville.
(We also had fun at the Southern Thrift and Five Daughters Bakery! It was raining when we visited Parnassus…so no pictures.)
Lisa and I enjoyed our quick trip to Nashville. A little thrifting at Southern Thrift and some delicious donuts at Five Daughters Bakery.
Parnassus has a huge collection of author-signed books. I was able to get a signed copy of An Unfinished Lovestory by Doris Kearns Goodwin and Differ We Must by Steve Inskeep. While I don’t necessarily agree with these authors’ politics, I enjoy their historical perspectives and writings.
The local events at bookstores are also key elements of their success. I currently attend a weekly Wednesday discussion group (5 PM) at Southland Books in Maryville. We are discussing the US Constitution. (Actually, the group meets at The Bird and The Book below the bookstore.)
As someone who enjoys bookstores, I am excited by this trend and hope that it continues.
Growing up in Kingsport, Tennessee, I enjoyed going to the Fort Henry Mall and visiting the B. Dalton Bookstore, which of course is now defunct. I would hang out in the computer programming section and read as much as I could about Apple ][ computers.
If I close my eyes, I can still remember strolling through the store and peeking down each aisle. The magazine section was also a favorite.
Image by Michael Zimmermann from Pixabay
Unfortunately, I do foresee a resurgence of print magazines. Well, saving bookstores is sufficient.