How You Can Support Charlotte Bookstores Today
Reading has always brought me no small supply of joy, and now, I’ve been able to recognize that perhaps more than ever. The escapism of a good tale, the intrigue of a well-researched piece of non-fiction, and the excitement of a new release brings bright little spots into my “what can we do from home” task list.
Local bookshops are, realistically, always in need of community support, but today, with their doors shut, they need us more than ever. The owners and store staff who lovingly curate the picks, eager to share their knowledge, have moved operations online, remaining at your disposal from afar.
Charlotte Bookstores
Main Street Books
Main Street Books is located in the heart of historic Davidson. They are hosting virtual events, and will offer you a thoughtful recommendation online. Order through their shop now.
mainstreetbooksdavidson.com
Park Road Books
While Charlotte is under Shelter in Place, Park Road Books will take online orders and ship to your home. They also offer curbside pickup Monday through Friday, 11 am to 3 pm. The team also plans to provide newspapers that they will hold for pick up, too. Visit the online shop below so you can still get books and newspapers:
parkroadbooks.com
Paper Skyscraper
Locally owned by Sybil and Bill Godwin (also of Shain Gallery), Paper Skyscraper is a gathering place for Charlotte’s creative community, and they provide endless books and goodies guaranteed to leave you with a smile.
paperskyscraper.com
Western North Carolina’s Independent Book Stores
Malaprop’s, Asheville
In the early 1980s, the streets of downtown Asheville were abandoned and forlorn, a far cry from the vibrant tourism destination that the city is today. That all changed when Emöke B’Racz opened Malaprop’s on Haywood Street. She stocked the original 2,000-square-foot building primarily with poetry and Southern literature, and opened a café in the basement; she wrapped every book that was purchased in craft paper and red ribbon. “Malaprop’s kind of set the tone for the whole downtown,” says author Ron Rash, who has frequented the store both as a writer and a reader since it opened in 1982. “It really is the heart and soul of Asheville.”
malaprops.com
Foggy Pines Books, Boone
Mary Ruthless, an English literature graduate of Appalachian State University, bought Black Bear Books in Boone from a former colleague in 2016. She has channeled her lifelong passion for reading into the new store: Originally located in a 425-square-foot building, the Foggy Pine moved to a larger location in January to accommodate the growing number of books and visitors. Shop online for their eclectic collection now.
foggypinesbooks.com
Piedmont North Carolina’s Independent Book Stores
Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh
Raleigh’s independent Quail Ridge Books has also shifted operations online, and will continue to serve their book-loving clientele from afar.
quailridgebooks.com
The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines
What started in 1953 is now The Country Bookshop – owned today by the local newspaper The Pilot. The store serves as a gathering place and educational hub for residents and visitors, with story time, author readings, book clubs, and more. Recently, the store also established publishing services for independent authors, expanding its commitment to local and regional writers
thecountrybookshop.biz
Bookmarks, Winston-Salem
Bookmarks is one of Winston-Salem’s cheeriest and most inspiring spots. This creative aesthetic goes hand-in-hand with the nonprofit organization’s mission: encouraging a love of reading and writing in the community. Shop online today, and continue to help support local bookstores from home.
bookmarksnc.com
What To Books Buy At Charlotte Bookstores Now:
Untamed – Glennon Doyle (Memoir)
The Book of Awakening – Mark Nepo (Daily)
An American Marriage – Tayari Jones (Novel)
Where the Crawdad Sings – Delia Owens (Novel)
City of Girls – Elizabeth Gilbert (Novel)
Talking to Strangers – Malcolm Gladwell (Non-fiction)
Hold Still – Sally Mann (Memoir)
Essentialism – Greg McKeown (Non-fiction)
The Namesake – Jhumpa Lahiri (Novel)
Tiny Beautiful Things – Cheryl Strayed (Advice)
Sapiens – Yuval Harari (Non-fiction)
All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr (Novel)
Between the World and Me – Ta-Nehisi Coates (Memoir)
South: Essential Recipes and New Explorations – Sean Brock (Cookbook)
The Year of Magical Thinking – Joan Didion (Memoir)
