The Atlanta area is rich in indie bookstores, a true blessing to area readers. This year, for the first time, twenty-one indie bookstores banded together for the Atlanta Indie Bookstore Crawl (AIBC) on Small Business Saturday, November 26. The week before AIBC, I visited five stores and met with their owners: The Book Worm Bookstore in Powder Springs, Charis Books & More, Little Shop of Stories,  Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur, and Avid Bookshop in Athens. 

The Book Worm Bookstore is owned by Julia Davis, who is also on SIBA’s Board. Her bookstore is sensory-inclusive certified, which means it has made accommodations for those who are autistic and/or have a sensory processing disorder. The Book Worm offers free ear plugs, a clearly posted internet password, a dry erase board available for non-speaking or hard of hearing customers, sensory chairs, and the offer to adjust the volume of music upon request. 

The Book Worm is beautifully curated, with creative elements like a Spin to Win wheel that features prizes from other stores in the community, and a bulletin board covered in notes by customers naming the books that changed their lives. Julia plans to expand her store, which is part of a growing town center, with new residents on the horizon at a development being built behind her store.

Next stop, and on the other side of Atlanta, was Charis Books & More, where I met with  Sara Luce Look, co-owner of Charis, as well as the book buyer and general manager. Charis’s mission, together with their non-profit programming partner, Charis Circle, is to foster sustainable feminist communities, work for social justice, and encourage the expression of diverse and marginalized voices. The store has worked hard to address accessibility and inclusivity in the physical store, and at their virtual events, which boomed during Covid, and continue on. We shared some laughs as Charis booksellers confessed to recently purchasing “boxes of books” for themselves, something I easily could have done as well in such a fantastic store.

I headed next to Little Shop of Stories, where I met staffers Justin, Heather, Sydney, and co-owner Diane Capriola, who is also on the ABA Board. As a store that mostly caters to children, their in-store operations were modified (including being closed for one year) until vaccines became available for children. During this time, they operated a pop-up in front of the store. They are now fully open, hosting in-person events (which are steadily growing), school visits, and bookfairs. The store is brightly and festively lit, filled with great books for all ages, and staffed by enthusiastic book lovers. 

Eagle Eye Book Shop is the third Decatur-area bookstore I visited. Co-owner Doug Robinson showed me around their store. They did quite a bit of renovation over the last few years: moving and expanding their cashwrap and replacing their carpet with new flooring. Dozens of volunteers helped move the books and bookcases each night during three days of reflooring, which is one indication of how beloved Eagle Eye is in their community. Business is better than ever, and Doug is very optimistic about the future.

My last visit was to Avid Bookshop in Athens, GA. I met with Rachel Watkins, director of operations and events. During Covid they added an additional cash wrap near the front door which they’ve kept, and rearranged sections. The store is thoughtfully and delightfully stocked and during my visit was bustling with customers. Avid is mission-driven around ethical, local, and inclusive business practices. From their site: “As the country has become more fraught, Avid booksellers have become more outspoken about standing up for human rights, equality, and the freedom to read. We are a safe space and are proud to serve those here in Athens, Georgia and our website customers nationwide.”