where’s the closest bookstore?
When my family visited San Diego and Los Angeles on spring break in 2015, we went to Legoland, the zoo, a Dodgers game, the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
And we went to The Last Bookstore, a 22,000-square-foot bookstore in LA—the top of my to-do list for my first trip across the country. I knew of the bookstore because two of my favorite authors, Ransom Riggs and Tahereh Mafi, had gotten married there. I was obsessed with the photos and wanted to stand in the same place they did, where Mafi held a bouquet made from pages of her new husband’s books.
Now, every time I’m visiting a new city, I seek out at least one independent bookstore, to support the business and get to know the city. This year, I was very lucky to travel to several places and, of course, many excellent local bookstores. In honor of Small Business Saturday yesterday, I’d like to highlight each of the bookstores I visited in 2024.
And did I mention I got married in an independent bookstore this year?
Poor Richard’s Books - Frankfort, KY
Recently I tried to determine when I first visited my future wedding venue, and I think it was October 2020. I technically worked in our state’s capital city, but I was rarely there in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was there on this day—in not just the capital but the Capitol—to hear oral arguments before the Kentucky Supreme Court in the lawsuit between the University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Kernel. While in Frankfort, I had a coffee from Kentucky Coffeetree Cafe and bought a stack of Kentucky-related books from Poor Richard’s.
The environmental educator with nerdy tattoos was technically already my coworker, but I didn’t know him—and I never dreamed I would be so lucky to get married at such a lovely bookstore. Owner Lizz Taylor was extraordinarily kind to let us get married there free of charge, so every book I buy there now is just free money that we would have spent on a wedding venue. That’s how it works, right?
Joseph-Beth Booksellers - Lexington, KY
All residents of Lexington—which includes me for EIGHT years now—are very fortunate to have such a large, inviting bookstore right here in our city. To me, the highlight of Joseph-Beth is its events—from the annual Kentucky Book Festival to author events including Kentuckians like Crystal Wilkinson, Kaitlyn Hill and Silas House and visitors like Chloe Gong, Nicholas Sparks and the inspiring groom himself, Ransom Riggs.
CoffeeTree Books - Morehead, KY
Loui arrived in Morehead for the Kentucky Association for Environmental Educators conference earlier than I did, so he had already scoped out what I heard was an incredible bookstore. My jaw still dropped as I stepped from The Fuzzy Duck Cafe into CoffeeTreeBooks. The cozy bookstore just kept going! “What a gift to have such a huge bookstore here,” I said to Loui. I spent as much time as possible there throughout the conference and got to know the owners, Susan and Grant. I would actually move into this space if I could.
Carmichael’s - Louisville, KY
We joke that Sarah and McKenna betrayed our college town when they moved to Louisville, but if that’s what it took for me to visit Carmichael’s, it will have been worth it. Carmichael’s always has a great selection of stickers and Blind Dates with a Book. I particularly love to buy books by Kentucky and Black authors from this incredible Black-owned bookstore. Earlier this year, I was really excited to purchase There’s Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib but couldn’t find it at another bookstore; Carmichael’s had several copies in stock. And to put the mac-and-cheese on top, The Eagle, one of my favorite restaurants, is just down the street.
Set & Setting - Louisville, KY
This is actually the second mention of Set & Setting in this newsletter! I came across this tiny bookstore on TikTok and was delighted to find it’s only an hour or so away from me. We finally visited last weekend and found a great selection of used and new books, plus book-adjacent goodies like stickers, journals and Build-Your-Own-Zine kits.
A Likely Story - Midway, KY
After attending a museum event in Georgetown, I was craving a visit to a local bookstore. We found A Likely Story in the adorable downtown area of Midway. It had a great selection of new and used books, plus a very fun section for children.
Parnassus Books - Nashville, TN
Years ago, I attended a Christopher Paolini event hosted by Parnassus Books, but attendance was so high that it wasn’t actually hosted at the bookstore. Loui and I went to Nashville on a sort-of honeymoon trip, and I finally got to visit the great bookstore owned by author Ann Patchett. “In Greek mythology, Mount Parnassus was the home of literature, learning, and music,” reads the bookstore’s website. “We are Nashville's Parnassus, providing a refuge for Nashvillians of all ages who share in our love of the written word.” On the same day we visited Parnassus, I sat on Taylor Swift’s bench in Centennial Park and read.
Wild Geese Bookshop - Franklin, IN
When I saw that Ransom Riggs was doing a book tour stop with John Green and it was only a couple hours away, I could not resist buying tickets. The event was actually around the corner at a Kentucky Theater-esque venue, but we had time to go to Wild Geese Bookshop itself first. In a refurbished historical home, the bookstore was well worth the trip into Hoosier territory.
The BookMark - Neptune Beach, FL
I will go to this bookstore every chance I get. Just down the road from where my grandfather worked at Neptune Beach City Hall, The BookMark is a favorite for me and my grandma. On my most recent visit, we chatted with the booksellers, including about my book, and they said, “Come here when your book is published!” I hope I get to.
Politics & Prose - Washington, DC
I’ve become a pretty frequent visitor to Washington, DC, and when Loui and I went this August for the National Book Festival, we made a stop at Politics & Prose. It’s a great, big bookstore.
Utah Book & Magazine - Salt Lake City, UT
I went to Salt Lake City over the summer for a communications conference. On my free day, I located the closest bookstore and started walking. As soon as I walked through the door of Utah Book & Magazine, I saw one of my coworkers, which was very funny and not at all surprising. I noticed a cute couple shopping together and heard them joke about wanting a photo of the moment, so I offered to take one. And yeah, I told them I had just recently gotten married in a bookstore.
Legendarium - Salt Lake City, UT
I then walked to the Salt Lake City Public Library and read there for a while, then I had to decide where to go next. I almost missed Legendarium, a fantasy-inspired bookstore that was nearly a mile away. To save the cost of an Uber, I walked—and I was overheated and probably not too far from passing out when I walked through the door. Thankfully the bookstore also had a cafe, and I bought a refreshing blueberry tea. The bookstore was also an inviting gathering place, especially for games like Dungeons & Dragons.
For nearly a decade, I nursed a dream of getting married at a bookstore. The next dream could be owning one—and with my D&D-loving husband, it should be exactly like Legendarium.