Nashville opens new indie book store by best-selling author

I love everything about books! How they smell, how they feel in your hands, the beauty of book-jacket artwork and the thrill of placing new books next to old friends on my home library shelves. My friends and I started a book club a few years ago. We meet at a local coffee shop once a month on Thursday mornings while our kids are in preschool. It’s a great time to catch up with each other and share ideas and thoughts about the book we are reading. So, when I heard about a new independent bookstore opening up in Green Hills, I knew our book talk group needed a field trip! I was really sad when our favorite Davis-Kidd Booksellers closed, so I was especially excited to share this new gem with the girls.

The new bookstore is called Parnassus and is on Hillsboro Pike, in the shopping center right across from the Walgreen’s in Green Hills. It’s just down from Fox’s Donut Den, so we decided to meet there for coffee and then head over and see what Parnassus was all about. The shop is small but cozy, at about only about 2,500 square feet total. The staff is knowledgeable and ready to give you their input about finding what you’re looking for or to help you choose a great read. It looks like the shop will have a steady stream of author signings and special events, and there’s even a spot in the store just for kids. It’s the kind of place you want to go into and stay a while, meandering through the beautiful wooden shelves, looking at all they have to offer. I also like the fact that the staff is as passionate about books as I am, and can talk about what’s hot, what’s not and how to find that just right book for my kids, friends and family members.

Another plus is that the bookstore’s owner, Anne Patchett, is a bestselling, prize-winning author. She’s passionate about books and has obviously thrown her passion into creating a place where book lovers of all ages can feel at home. Her goal was to create a space where people can “shop for books, attend author readings and exchange ideas.” She’s committed to helping increase the love of reading in the community, and I like shopping in a place that gives back in this way.

One of things I’m most excited about is getting my kids involved in the weekly story time at Parnassus. It will be a great way to spend an afternoon and help my kids develop their own love of reading. I like having a bookstore where I live, it’s an important part of a community that places great value on education, and educators know that a love of reading is vital to a love of learning. My friends and I are really excited about this new addition to our list of “go-to” places. We’ll definitely be putting in an order for our next book club pick at Parnassus!