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Meet Kendra Gayle Lee of Bookish in East Atlanta Village

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra Gayle Lee.

Kendra, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Books wooed me early on. My first love was the Trixie Belden mystery series. I used to hide behind my dad’s Lay-Z-Boy to read–and pretend I couldn’t hear my mom calling me to set the table. I always had my nose continuously buried in a book. And my very favorite time of the year was Scholastic Book Fair time, where invariably I’d buy a book I’d saved my allowance for–and have read it by the time I set foot off the bus that afternoon.

My intention was to make a career out of books–by becoming a professor of literature. And I did get a few degrees in literature–but then, instead of continuing on to get my PhD, I took a detour and taught first year writing at the University of South Florida. That job was amazing. I love college freshmen because they are curious, and they’re really coming into their own in the way they think and process the world. And, truth be told, I love stories. And I think everyone has a story to tell (hence the Bookish tagline: Every Story Matters).

I left my teaching job when I gave birth to our daughter, Jane. When it was time to go back to work, I decided to pursue my own writing, and I did freelance writing and consulting for a few years. During that time, I volunteered at her elementary school’s Scholastic Book Fair. And, lo and behold, it was still just as magical as I remembered it. I got the privilege of helping a kid find a book that really spoke to them. Something they really wanted to read, not something someone else told them to read. I think that distinction is important. People don’t read because it is boring, and a little soul sucking, to constantly feel like you are reading what you are “supposed to” read. Just read what you like. It doesn’t matter. There are benefits to every kind of reading. Being a book snob is just wildly unnecessary.

When we moved to EAV in Sept 2018, I realized that we had a stellar coffee shop–but no bookstore. That seemed unfortunate. So, I started asking around. Because the last thing you want to do is to move into a neighborhood and start telling all the folks who have lived there for years what they want. But it turns out EAV did want a bookstore. There had been a bookstore, Bound to Be Read, in EAV for a decade. And saying that store was beloved is an understatement. Folks around here are still crushed about it closing 4 or 5 years later. So, while I would never try to be another Bound to Be Read, I knew I could fill the bookstore void. And, really, it’s an honor to do that in EAV.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The process of deciding to open a store, collecting all the books (I still have a storage unit that’s almost full!), finding a location, completing the buildout, and holding a Grand Opening took just under a year. I could not possibly have done that without a huge amount of support from the folks in Southeast Atlanta (and more specifically, my amazing neighbors in EAV) and the help of my devoted (and long-suffering) family.

The thing about this adventure that most moved me was that every time I started questioning myself, another piece of the bookstore puzzle would just fall into place. It was like the Universe just kept nudging me toward this calling–and sending emotional support in the form of kind words from neighbors and Bookish supporters when I had a moment of doubt. In the entire year the store was incrementally coming to fruition, I probably encountered five people who told me opening a used bookstore in EAV was a bad idea. Those folks were easy to ignore when I had so many folks around me cheering me (and Bookish!) along.

Opening a business is never easy. But I am grateful for how smoothly the process went. And for how many truly kind and warm-hearted folks I met along the way.

Please tell us about Bookish – what should we know?
Although we special order and stock a small collection of new books, Bookish specializes in used books. We do that for a few reasons:

1) We believe in reusing books! We take donations (and we give store credit for books!), and we scour Atlanta for great, gently used books that have a lot of life left. It helps ease the impact on the environment, and it gets more stories into the hands of more people. And we really do believe stories have the power to change the world.

2) We know that having books at home is important. We want to make that goal accessible to everyone. Used books come at a lower price point, which allows folks to explore new genres and new authors more freely–without a big(ish) financial risk.

3) Used books are cool. Not only does the book contain a story written by the author–but the book itself has been on its own adventure. Sometimes, there are inscriptions in the books. Sometimes, we find nifty things–photos, old boarding passes, greeting cards–that have been tucked inside books for safekeeping. We love the stories the books tell.

We also make a concerted effort to stock diverse books. We want every person who walks into Bookish to see themselves reflected in the books on our shelves. Representation matters. We believe that, and we seek out books that represent the incredible diversity of folks that live in Atlanta, GA.

Bookish is proud to host events that celebrate books and stories and that draw folks together. We have book clubs for kids and adults. We host local author talks. We do poetry readings. We believe people can unite around stories–and that Bookish is the perfect place to make that happen.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
The person who deserves the most credit for making this big bookstore dream happen is my partner, Simon Kellogg. He’s been an incredible cheerleader. He is super into systems & processes–which make my eyes glaze over–so he holds me accountable for efficiency and good common sense. And he listens. When I hit a snag that feels like the end of the world, somehow by the time I’m finished telling him about it it’s lost its sting. He painted the store for me. Did all the design work around the logo and the branding. And he, his father, and his uncle built all the bookshelves in the store. In one weekend. He’s amazing. And I could not in any way have done this without him.

My daughter Jane, who we call the Assistant to the Manager, has been devoted to this process from its inception. When she’s not reading Warrior Cats. She is only eight, so her attention wanders at times. But she’s dealt with the transition from me working in the home (writing) to me working at a retail store beautifully. And she has some pretty stellar input regarding interior design and anything that has to do with the kids’ section. I’m really proud of her.

Finally, I’m very thankful to every person who contributed to the Bookish Indiegogo campaign. We raised money for start-up & build-out, which was hugely helpful. But, truly, even more than the money, every donation felt like an affirmation that YES! opening a used bookstore is the right thing. YES, this is going to work. It was just the kind of encouragement that kept me from losing my mind in those frenzied weeks before we opened.

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