Bookstore Explorer

Jordan Tromblee and Deezy Youngdahl opened Novelette Booksellers in Nashville, Tennessee, less than six months ago. The vibrant, colorful, inclusive and welcoming shop has already been hailed as one of the city’s most talked about indies. They join Matt this week to tell us why. Books We Talk About: Exalted by Anna Dorn, Babel by R.F. Kuang, Less by Andrew Sean Greer, The Neapolitan Novels by Elen...

This week, we visit the lovely small town of Staunton, Virginia, where guest Sandra Cararo discusses how she transitioned from a career in selling at chain bookstores to operating her own indie, The Book Dragon Shop. Books We Talk About: Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp series, Jack Carr's Terminal List series, Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird...

Happy Halloween! This week, we're back in Houston, Texas, for a spooky'ish themed visit to Murder By the Book, one of the oldest and coolest mystery bookshops in the nation! Bookseller John McDougall shares the history of this great store and shares some favorite mystery reads. Books We Talk About: The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson, Louise Penny's Gamache series, The Silence of...

When Goshen, Indiana's only bookshop announced its closure, Kristin Saner teamed up with some friends to ensure that an independent bookstore remained in the town. On this episode of Bookstore Explorer, Kristin shares how Fables Books was born. Books We Talk About: Menno-Nightcaps by S.L. Klassen, the Dark Olympus series by Katee Robert, and the Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin. Laugh Lov...

On this episode, Matt is joined by Dr. Lady Vowell Smith, owner of Huntsville, Alabama's The Snail on the Wall – a bookstore without the store! Lady shares how she offers the personal service indies are known for with her online bookshop. Books We Talk About: The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novic, Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven by Nathanial Ian Miller, the boo...

Teenager Calvin Crosby walked into The King's English Bookshop in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1980 and found a safe space. Forty years later, he became its co-owner. On today's episode, he tells us how it happened. Books We Talk About:- Three Junes by Julia Glass- The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne- Hester by Laurie Loco Albanese- Calling for a Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah- Woman of...

On today's show, we talk with Julie Buckles, owner of Honest Dog Books in Bayfield, Wisconsin, who tells us about buying a beloved bookshop on a whim! Books We Talk About:- Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube - Blair Braverman- Dogs on the Trail - Blair Braverman- Winterdance - Gary Paulsen- The Sentence - Louise Erdrich- Charlotte's Web - E.B. White- Blueberries for Sal - Robert McCloskey-...

This week, our guest is Lynsey Pippen, owner of Little Bus Books in Lakeland, Florida, who tells us about turning a vintage 1953 Va-Ka-Shun-Ette trailer into a mobile bookstore. Books We Talk About:- 50 Hikes in Central Florida by Sandra Friend and John Keatley- Best State Ever by Dave Barry- Florida Day Trips by Theme by Mike Miller Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A p...

On this episode, we're joined by Terri LeBlanc, co-owner and operations manager at Swamp Fox Bookstore in Marion, Iowa, a shop that's small on square footage but big on personality. Books We Talk About:- Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid- The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman- The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon- The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow-...

This week, we visit with Valerie Koehler, owner of Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, Texas, who discusses the changes she's seen in the bookstore business since taking over the shop in the mid-90s. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Have you ever wanted to spend the night in a bookstore? Linda Roller's Liberty Book Shop in Avis, Pennsylvania, is a bookshop Airbnb that provides guests 24-hour access to the store! Check out Linda's shop on Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/20149706 Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

On this episode, we visit with Patrick Kutcher, owner of Bagatelle Books, a fantastic used bookshop in Asheville, North Carolina. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

On this episode, we talk to Kristi Gibson, owner of Magpie Bookshop in Catskill, New York, about running a bookstore specializing in used and "nearly new" books. Books We Talk About: - Moby-Dick by Herman Melville - Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard - The Outermost House by Henry Beston - The works of W.G. Sebald We also discuss the Hudson Valley Book Trail and, the Pennsylvania s...

On this episode, Matt talks with Hannah Harlow and Sam Pfeifle – siblings, avid readers, and co-owners of the Book Shop of Beverly Farms – about taking over a well-established indie shop and hosting their own book podcast. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

On this episode, we visit Booktenders in Barboursville, West Virginia, a brand new book bar owned and operated by two former bartenders. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

In this episode, we head to Portland, Oregon, where we’ll talk to Elise Schumock, the owner of one of the coolest book bars around: Rose City Book Pub. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

On this episode, Matt heads to the Bluegrass State of Kentucky to visit a new shop, Conquest Books. Owner Talmadge Callihan talks about the magic of community bookstores and what it's like sharing space with a trendy art gallery and coffee shop. Laugh Love Law Real conversations. Real people. Real impact. A podcast about life, law and... Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Join author and book nerd Matt Browning as he goes behind the shelves with booksellers to learn what makes independent bookshops so magical.