It’s finally happening! Let me repeat: It…is…finally…happening! Novel (novel.), our new bookstore, is about to open up to the public. It has been a long several months without a locally-owned bookstore to supplement the 650,000+ people that live in Memphis; however, this bookstore-less time has had this avid reader itching with anxiety to buy a book in a real bookstore. I’ve missed the smell of new books, the feeling of flipping through crisp, fresh pages of an undiscovered sea of words waiting to be read, the site of people happily wandering around and losing themselves in a seemingly endless paradise of literature & illustration, and the quiet, but acute, sound of conversations among fellow customers. GAH! I can barely contain my excitement at the thought of this new opportunity we have been provided. It is truly nothing less than a miracle that a new bookstore is opening up in the same location with the core staff from the former bookstore still employed. I had the absolute pleasure last week to tour the new store and IT IS AWESOME! But you don’t have to take it from me, there are details below about the grand opening of the store. I had very high hopes for the new store and seeing the nearly finished store I can tell you that it blew away all of my expectations. Even as I write this, I sit here with eyes filled to the brim with tears of happy admiration for the hard work that was put in to this store by the investors, Laurelwood Shopping Center (particularly Cory Prewitt), and all of you, who displayed your support for this wonderful bookstore via this petition. This is truly the definition of a local bookstore. I also managed to briefly speak with Eddie Burton, long time manager of the former bookstore, and the joy I saw in his eyes brought the kind of warmth to my heart that you rarely feel. Before I move on, I would like to make something clear: it is imperative that we, as the book lovers of Memphis, do everything in our power to make sure that novel. survives and thrives in Memphis. As I’ve said before, social media is a great way to reach a lot of people in a relatively quick amount of time. To help facilitate this, I’ve included a short pledge at the bottom of this post that you can share and encourage others to share. This store’s survival depends on your continued support and I fully believe that this we can achieve this as a Memphis community. Details About the New Store Although the new store is smaller in square footage, it quite honestly does not feel that much smaller. The entire store has been renovated, including updated furniture, shelves, and a new layout. This new store also includes a fairly large room in the back of the store designated for book signings and other events. Additionally, Libro, the new in-store restaurant by Sabine Bachmann, will be opening this Friday. In case you were wondering, there is a children’s corner in the new bookstore! There’s also couple of other neat features that you’ll find in the store, but you’ll just have to visit the store to find them. They’ve also put up a new website that you can visit here and join their emailing list for updates: novelmemphis.com. Details About the Opening The opening is this Friday, August 18th at 9am. Novel’s address is 387 Perkins Extd. and their regular operating hours will be Monday through Saturday from 9am to 8pm and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Novel’s opening is sure to bring a packed house, so be prepared to buy a book and be a part of some wonderful history. I sadly won’t be able to attend the opening this Friday as I’ve just started my college career at Georgia Tech; however, I hope everyone who can go to the opening will be sure to post pictures of the new store and some of the books you purchase. Make Your Pledge Please share this on any social media platforms you might happen to use or, if you prefer, you can just use regular word of mouth. Additionally, please share pictures you take at the new store and spread the word! “I pledge with every book-loving bone in my body that I will make a commitment to regularly visit, shop, and support Novel, our new, 100% locally owned bookstore. I hope you’ll join me in supporting this bookstore too: novelmemphis.com.” For one last time, always remember #MemphisGetsLit, Emmett Miskell