Bookstores of Times Past
Jackson Street Books in Athens, GA
What was the first bookstore that awakened your soul? For me, it was Jackson Street Books in Athens, Georgia. That bookstore had rows and rows of shelves arranged by genre and the author’s last name. I remember the smell of old books, the creaky wood floors, and the sense of wonder.
I discovered that bookstore during my college years at the University of Georgia. I was studying International Business, but ended up spending more of my time reading books than school material. It was a time of literary exploration and Jackson Street Books fueled that desire. I would slowly make my way through the store making mental notes of books I needed and wanted to read.
That bookstore closed nearly 10 years ago. I took the photo above in 2017. Those haunting black curtains covered the windows that used to be filled with books. It was a sad sight. I thought about future students at the University of Georgia who would never have the pleasure of perusing those shelves. There’s still a hole in downtown Athens when I go back and visit.
I’ve been to hundreds of bookstores since college and yet I somehow always compare them to Jackson Street Books.
If you’re ever in Berkeley, CA, be sure to check out Moe’s Books. Apparently it has been there since the 1960s. Terrific selection of used and new books.
There was a bookstore called Holmes Book Company in Oakland that went out of business in 1995 after seventy years. It was over an hour for me to drive to, but worth it until it got too dangerous. Palo Alto STILL has Bell’s Books, a bookstore that has squeaky wooden floors and that intoxicating book smell.