Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly McNamara.
Hi Kimberly, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Tampa, FL. In 1998, I moved to Atlanta for college. My family followed me about a year after I started Agnes Scott. My mother, Della and I opened Read It Again Bookstore in 2002. My mother retired in 2010. COVID was tough. We had just expanded the store so we could host more events when COVID hit. Then in 2021, we had a devastating flood that displaced the bookstore for seven months. My father also died about the same time. Our customers came together to support us and volunteered hundreds of hours to help us rebuild our bookstore. We just celebrated our 20th anniversary.
I met my husband Mike in college. He went to Georgia Tech and I went to Agnes Scott. We are very different people, but we really complement each other. I was raised Catholic and he was raised Pentecostal. I am a liberal and he is conservative. I am loud, goofy, artistic, and mischievous. Mike is solid, practical, calm, and sweet. We balance each other very well.
When we were starting the bookstore, it was unusual for a used bookstore to keep an inventory. I volunteered Mike and his brother Eric to write us an inventory/ point of sale software. At the time we were friends but not dating. I told my mom I knew these guys from GT. They could probably put the software together in a like weekend. 22 years later, Basil Bookstore Software is in over 400 indie bookstores across the country. Read It Again brought Mike and me together.
Recently, I accepted a position on the board at The Literacy Network of North Georgia, where we strive to support individuals in obtaining their GED, provide ESL classes for people of all ages, and establish little free libraries in our community. I am proud to be part of an organization that is committed to improving literacy and educational opportunities for all.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD in the late 1980s, which made my academic journey very challenging. Despite being told by fellow students, teachers, and even a professor that I was stupid and did not belong in school, I refused to give up. For every person who put me down, I had twice as many people hold me up. I graduated from Agnes Scott College in 2003 with dual degrees in Art and Psychology.
In 2002, my mother Della and I co-founded Read It Again Bookstore, a new and used bookstore in Suwanee, GA. Both of us are dyslexic and have ADHD. We know what it’s like to struggle to read. We wanted to create a welcoming space for all readers. This year our bookstore will turn 21.
I met our kids in 2012 on the twin’s 9th birthday. My in-laws fostered the three of them for a year before they moved in with us, and we adopted them a year after that. My kids are loving, beautiful people of who I am extremely proud. Mike and I have worked very hard to ensure my kids don’t let their early childhood define who they are. Mental health is very important to our family. It is so important that we normalize talking about mental health. Mental health is health.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am the proud owner of Read It Again Bookstore, located in Suwanee, GA. At our store, we offer a diverse selection of both new and used books. People can trade in their books for credit, and with that credit, they get half off used books in the store. It was very important to us that our store did not look like a thrift store or a garage sale. Our bookstore is welcoming, bright, and organized. One of our greatest assets is our incredible staff, each of whom shares a deep passion for reading and for our bookstore. Their dedication has been instrumental in our survival over the past two decades. In addition to providing exceptional customer service, we regularly host a variety of events such as author signings, story times, book clubs, date nights, boozy book fairs, and craft nights. Our goal is to create a third place within our community—a space where individuals can gather, connect, and find solace in the world of literature.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I define success by how individuals and animals I can positively impact throughout my lifetime.
I’m a big dog person. We’ve had quite a few dogs over the years. I gravitate to dogs who need extra love, time, and patience. Taking in a dog who is terrified and turning it into a dog who is confident and loving is something I take great joy in.
Our bookstore has become a 3rd place where our customers feel comfortable and safe. Over the span of 20 years, we have and the privilege of helping a lot of people find something to read, and books change people’s lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.read-it-again.com
- Instagram: @readitagainbooks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Read.It.Again?mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Youtube: @readitagainbookstore
- Other: TikTok.com/readitagainbookstore
