ATLANTA — Do you remember names like Waldenbooks, B. Dalton, Book-A-Million or Borders? If you consider yourself a book reader by any stretch of the definition, then you probably remember each and every one of these stores.
Since the advent of online retail giants like Amazon & eBay and the proliferation of e-books, many brick-and-mortar stores have gone the way of the dodo over the course of the past decade. However, fear not bookworms, hope is not lost.
According to Kendra Lee, the owner of the East Atlanta used bookstore, Bookish, independent bookstores are thriving. Lee, along with her business partner, opened Bookish in the tight-knit East Atlanta Village neighborhood near the intersection of Glenwood Ave. & Moreland mid-September.
Since opening their doors less than two months ago, Bookish has already developed something of a following. Lee is adamant about community engagement, providing writing book groups, writing groups and ‘Author Spotlights’ where local writers can directly engage their audiences.
Lee had this to share with My East Atlanta News.
“We want people to read what they like and that every story matters. I very much that books can change the world, stories can change the world and so giving people access to books is the most important thing I can do.”
The last book store in the area, Bound to be Read, closed approximately 6 years ago, leaving only the public library as a source for avid readers. This past summer the East Atlanta library branch closed down for renovations.
None of this has Lee concerned, however. She continues to see growth in sales and clientele since opening and is confident that the community will discover (and enjoy) everything that Bookish has to offer.
For more information about Bookish and their event calendar, click on the link to their website.
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