If you want to truly soak in the essence of a town during your vacation, make a pit stop at the hometown bookstore.
It's not just a place to snag some reading material; it's a glimpse into the soul of the community.
Flip through the local section to get a feel for the town's history, check out the staff recommendations for the inside scoop, and maybe pick up a novel set in the very streets you're wandering.
Here's our Top 10 List of Hometown Bookstore in Middle Tennessee.
By supporting these local businesses, you're not only discovering hidden literary treasures but also contributing to the preservation of a vital community space that celebrates the love of reading and the essence of Middle Tennessee.
Buy - Sell - Trade
636 Old Hickory Blvd
Nashville, TN 37209
(615) 353-2595
7734 Lee Hwy
Chattanooga, TN 37421
(423) 800-8119
McKAY's was founded in 1974. Believing that the traditional educational system restrained learning, the owners wished to start an alternate university system.
Deciding the core to a university is its library, the idea of a "free enterprise library" was conceived - a bookstore that would contain a wide variety of books that an individual could obtain cheaply, keep as long as they wanted to, and return for credit on other books in the future.
Since it was possible to obtain second-hand books, the store quickly achieved an inventory representing nearly every conceivable type of book.
The original idea of a bookstore has expanded to include music, movies, electronics, games, musical instruments, collectibles, and more!
2. Duck River Books
12 Public Square
Columbia, TN 38401
(931) 548-2665
Free 3 hour parking is available in downtown Columbia weekdays from 8AM - 5PM.
Nestled on the square in the picturesque and historic downtown Columbia, Tennessee, Duck River Books stands as a delightful independent bookstore. Boasting an extensive inventory of new titles and secondhand books, the store carefully curates thousands of options spanning a wide range of categories.
1411 Mark Allen Ln F
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Since 2022, The Happy Book Stack has been dedicated to offering customers what they need, while providing a fun and exciting environment for kids and adults alike.
This is an excellent place for families to come and spend time together.
This bookstore features used books, homeschool books, poetry, Pokemon cards, board games, DVDs, children's books, vinyl records, and more.
114 East Main Street
Franklin, TN 37064
(615) 791-6400
Landmark Booksellers focuses on Southern Americana, Tennessee, regional and local history, culture, art and literature.
Featuring thousands of collectable signed first editions, hard-to-find editions of classic titles as well as important new releases. Prices range from $10 to $10,000.
The original inventory that helped open the bookstore — a 35,000-plus collection — was purchased in 2005 from Ed Penny, owner for over 30 years of Dad’s Old Bookstore, which was located in the Green Hills area of Nashville.
3900 Hillsboro Pike Suite 14
Nashville, TN 37215
(615) 953-2243
Parnassus is Nashville's independent bookstore for independent people, owned by author Ann Patchett.
They stock an extensive and exciting selection of books including fiction, non-fiction, children’s, young adult, local interests, and the arts.
Swing by to discover your next favorite read, attend an author event, and pet one of their shop dogs!
4914 Charlotte Pike
Nashville, TN 37209
615-279-0310
Rhino Booksellers is a neighborhood bookstore committed to Nashville’s community of creative talent owned by American singer-songwriter Fred Koller.
Rhino stocks a host of titles in multiple genres, while having its share of rare volumes.
The store also carries equally desirable items like instruments and vintage LPs.
Plus, you never know who may be shopping there, as Koller’s range of friends and supporters rivals anyone’s in town.
There aren’t many places — let alone bookstores — where the conversation seamlessly shifts from music to film to literature and back to books, and at Rhino you never know exactly what new treasures have arrived since your last visit.
48 W Broad Street
Cookeville, TN 38501
(931) 349-2119
PLENTY offers a great variety of titles, from current bestsellers to paperback beach reads to beautiful hardcover collectable classics.
Pair your next book with a beautiful fountain pen or a greeting card from their stationary collection, or some delicious tea.
PLENTY also has a large children's section filled with books, puzzles, games, puppets, and other excellent toys.
109 Walton Ferry Rd F
Hendersonville, TN 37075
(615) 757-3077
Walton Ferry Books and Music has a wonderful selection of used books, music, vinyl, and many other intriguing collectibles!
Locally owned and operated, they take trade-ins and have a wide variety for all ages.
5323 Main Street
Spring Hill, TN 37174
Ghostlight Books, nestled in the heart of Spring Hill, features used books, special order titles, bookish gifts, homeschool curriculum, and more—all with proceeds benefiting youth arts education.
Every purchase at Ghostlight Books contributes to fostering a brighter future for young minds through the transformative power of the arts.
610 W College St. No. 110
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(615) 900-3264
Murfreesboro's oldest used book store, serving the area since 2011 - with over 50,000 books!
If you can't get enough history, crave sci-fi, get lost in romantic fiction, or just love to collect cookbooks they've got all of that and much, much more!