Patrons perusing All the Tropes Romance Bookstore, located in the Kirkwood neighborhood of Atlanta. (All photos courtesy of the shop owners)
This year has welcomed an eclectic variety of bookstores, proving that the Atlanta metro has become a true literary hub. These local, independent bookstores offer everything from Books & Brew’s jewelry-making activities to groups such as the Atlanta Neuroqueer Social Group to the midnight book release parties at Sincerely Yours Bookstore.
This year’s newest bookstore is OffBeat Books, owned by Lindsi Bollinger and located in Terminal South. The shop opened August 26.
Bollinger shared what inspired her to open the quirky, all-inclusive store.
“I really just wanted a cool place to work at and hang out with my friends — but the big push was realizing that if I wanted to have a workplace that prioritized worker power and democratic decision-making, I would have to create it myself,” she said.
She came up with the store’s name from a book. “I was reading Filterworld by Kyle Chayka, and he noted that, in opposition to the algorithmically-generated genre collections you see on Amazon, for instance, independent bookstores are a place where you can still find niche, interesting, offbeat curated selections to reflect the bookseller’s unique tastes. The concept of taste is very important to me — in fact, I see it as our primary product.”
The store specializes in speculative fiction — including sci-fi, fantasy, horror, dystopian and magical realism — as well as non-fiction, classics, thrillers, romance and manga.
Bollinger described the store as one “for unhinged women and their supporters … a store for nerds and weirdos of all stripes.” She hopes it “becomes a gathering place for people who might feel lonely or ostracized elsewhere — a welcoming place to just come by and hang out with some fellow weirdos.”
In addition to OffBeat, the metro has welcomed several other book shops in the last year. Wild Aster Books is Chamblee’s newest bookstore. Owned by Grace and Tyler Smith, the store has a stage for storytelling and performances where folks can enjoy open mic nights and even flower arranging classes. Having worked in the film industry, the Smiths decided to open Wild Aster during the actor and writer strikes. Grace used her background in art direction for the store’s magical and welcoming decor, and Tyler implemented his logistical background to get the business up and running. The sizable crowd at each event is evidence of an already beloved community space.
In Smyrna, best friends Madison Glines and Mallory Gay opened Sincerely Yours Bookstore to create an unapologetic space for readers who love everything from fantasy to fiction. Prior to their grand opening, they shared their journey of transforming the empty retail space into a book lover’s oasis. A social buzz was created, and now the store holds a special appeal thanks to unique, interactive events such as book binding classes and the midnight release events.
The three owners of Books & Brew — Quinelle Bhandari, Irene Bethelmie and Nathan Bhandari — recently hosted an early one-year celebration in their cozy Tucker store, which sells food and wine along with both new and used books.
Reflecting on the store’s first year, they said: “Starting a business is never easy, and surviving our first year has been equal parts challenge and joy. What carries us forward is the reminder and reassurance from our community that independent bookstores matter, third places matter, event spaces matter and your neighborhood book bar matters. We are so grateful to have the continued opportunity to give people a haven where they can gather, imagine and belong.”
For fans of romance, a few new shops around Atlanta cater specifically to the genre. Damsel Bookstore in Canton is an aesthetically pleasing store adorned with flowers and pink shelving. Owner Amelia Lorden is a self-published author and created the space for those who treasure love and happy endings. Since opening, the shop has become a popular spot for social media influencers to capture fun content.
Kate McNeil, owner of All The Tropes in Kirkwood, also caters to the romance reader — but with a sultry vibe. A former schoolteacher, McNeil said she was ready for something new and found that a romance bookstore for like-minded book lovers was what she needed.
And the latest romance bookstore to open in the past year is Kiss and Tale Romance Bookshop. Sisters Jennifer Kamrath and Molly Kamrath previously ran their store as a pop-up shop at various citywide events, introducing themselves and spreading the word about their upcoming retail store. The pair look forward to a grand opening in Decatur this week.
“While we are just settling into our new space,” said Jennifer, “we are excited for the opportunity to get to know our new community and look forward to once again engaging with romance readers and book lovers.”
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Jina DuVernay is a librarian, a contributing writer for Sisters From AARP and an editor for the literary magazine midnight & indigo.
