The Indie Bob Spot: Light Trap Books


Light Trap Books, Jackson, TN

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Most bookstores I visit I can usually recognize the connection of their name and how it relates to the store. There are the obvious ones with ties to books and reading like The Bookmark or The Bookworm. Others can be based on location like Main St. Books or (insert town's name) Bookstore. Sometimes owners use all sorts of creativity when naming their bookstores which is the case for Light Trap Books in Jackson, TN. When owner Lauren S. explained it to me I never would've got it but those of you who are camera bugs get it. A light trap is what you need to keep the light out of a dark room when developing film. It is also the title of her thesis in grad school. So this 2-word motif has stuck with Lauren and I think I can confidently state this is the only indie in the country named Light Trap Books.

This charming little indie is located on the edge of downtown and is part of an area called The Local, a trio of micro businesses. In addition to Light Trap there is a coffee shop and a store that offers a variety of homemade crafts. The premise for the businesses in The Local is that they'll be able to start their businesses, leasing their spaces for two years at a reasonable rate and then will look for a new and expanded space once they've had a chance to establish themselves and become successful. I think of it as a business with training wheels for a couple of years. For Lauren at Light Trap, the store is off to an excellent start that's showing positive growth and attracting many customers including a solid core of regulars.

Lauren has filled a community-driven need for an independent bookstore. There hasn't been an indie in Jackson for about 20 years so this really filled that void. The store is less than a year old (another newbie during the pandemic) and was launched with a generous kickstarter campaign that proved how much this town was serious about having an independent bookstore.

The store offers all new books with only a few used books accepted as donations only. They stock some unique stationery and notebook items as well as an artwork reproduction of a mural by an 11 year-old student. When the store relocates into a new location Lauren hopes to have the space for events and perhaps a cafe service.

A delightful store with a delightful and knowledgeable owner looks like a bright future to me. If you're in Jackson and haven't discovered this little beauty yet, wake-up! A wonderful indie serving up a well-curated space full of books waiting for a home. Go to an indie and buy a book. Bonsoir.

CURRENTLY READING: Deacon King Kong, James McBride.

RECENTLY PURCHASED: Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee, Casey Cep.

Beautiful store exterior on a beautiful day.

Grab a coffee from the nearby coffee shop and enjoy these seats right outside the bookstore.

This is the common "courtyard" area shared by the three businesses in The Local.

These large windows allow for a lot of natural light inside the bookstore.

View looking straight into the bookstore at the well-curated non-fiction section.

A variety of releases displayed on the left wall after entering the store.

If the weather outside is rainy, enjoy this comfortable chair inside to sample a book.

Just inside the front entrance and to the right you'll find a good assortment of poetry editions.

The organization of the store is fairly basic. Shelves on the left are non-fiction and shelves on the right are fiction. Despite the store's small size, I thought it was very well curated.