Browsing Nashville’s bookstore scene, past and present

Bookstores are exactly what their name implies, but they’re so much more than that. They are vital spaces where people go not only to find and buy books, but to encounter new ideas, meet fellow readers and build community. Even so, a decade ago, with the rise of online retail and e-books, the local independent bookstore was widely considered a dying breed. And many of them did die off, including the beloved Davis-Kidd in Green Hills.

Whether or not you call it a comeback, the bookstore scene in Nashville is healthy and growing. In part, that’s because the personality and curation of a small bookstore is something you just can’t get from a website.

This hour, we explore Nashville’s bookselling scene, past, present and future. We talk with newcomers Novelette, longtime staples Alkebu-Lan Images, and also browse the city’s diminishing used bookstore scene.

But first, we talk with WPLN morning producer Alexis Marshall about how Nashville employers are planning to help employees access reproductive care after the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Guests:

• Jordan Harris, owner, Alkebu-Lan Images
• Deezy Violet, co-owner, Novelette Booksellers
• Cat Bock, store manager, Parnassus Books
• Larry Woods, bookseller, Book Man Book Woman
• Carl Smith, book reseller

Additional reading: 

• This Is Nashville: Diving into North Nashville’s artistic heritage, then and now
• WPLN: A new East Nashville bookshop hopes you’ll find yourself reflected on the page
• New York Times: Some Surprising Good News: Bookstores Are Booming and Becoming More Diverse