Thank You Books - Birmingham, AL

Thank You Books, Birmingham, AL

(Like The Indie Bob Spot on Facebook and follow The Indie Bob Spot on Twitter)

Oh what a night, late December back in '63 SCREECH, uh make that 2019.  Doesn't really sound right, does it?  Maybe not to most of us but for the three co-owners of Thank You Books in Birmingham, the new lyrics resonate perfectly for them.  Unknown to each other before the bookstore (sound familiar Two Friends?), they were helped to discover each other and their common interest in starting a bookstore.  And what better time to open a bookstore than December 2019, just as the Coronavirus is beginning its incubation and subsequent rampage.  But open they did, out of the gate with a bang and judging by the weekday of my visit they won't need to look back or second guess their founding of this terrific new independent bookstore.  Congratulations Thank You Books!

Thank You Books has an excellent location in a shopping area surrounded by other small businesses.  The interioir is beautiful with lots of natural light from the large front windows and lots of decorative string lights throughout the store.  Even the floor is beautiful with hand-painted stars.  The space was formerly home to a vintage clothes store so it was well-cared for, making the transition to bookstore a little easier.

This indie offers all new books and I thought the depth and breadth of their inventory was excellent.  They offer a few sidelines including a variety of greeting cards and journals and some Thank You Books swag.  But as Elizabeth told me, their primary focus is definitely the books.  Like so may other bookstores, they are holding events via Zoom and are looking forward to having live events in the future.  If you can't make it to the store, consider purchasing your books through their website where their entire inventory is available.  And keep in mind, if they don't have it they can order it for you.

On this visit, I enjoyed meeting 66.6% of the ownership.  I didn't get to meet Laura but Kristen and Elizabeth were kind enough to talk to me a bit on a VERY busy day.  Clearly to me, this is one smart group of owners who are poised for a long, successful business.  If you're in the Birmingham area and haven't visited this newbie yet, pay them a visit and enjoy a fantastic bookstore with a knowledgeable and talented staff.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED:  The Known World, Edward P. Jones.  Historical fiction that takes us to a 19th century plantation in a fictional Virginia county.  An abundance of characters of both races, some good, some bad.  This slavery tale has a twist with a Black plantation owner who owns Black slaves.  And then an even further twist with a Black female plantation owner.  This is a dense read at times, one that you should be patient with and willing to take some time. 

CURRENTLY READING:  Where The Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens.  I know, I know.  I'm late to the party. 

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  Shaking The Gates Of Hell, John Archibald.  All Things Cease to Appear, Elizabeth Brundage. 

 

Your invitation to enjoy this bookstore.

 

Abundant exterior window space. 

 

View looking into the store and to the right from the front entrance. 

An outstanding table display on the day of my visit. 

 

Wonderful display along the left wall just inside the store. 

Looking immediately to the right from the front entrance. 

 

The interior is "L" shaped so moving to the right after you enter, this is the view looking toward the back of the store. 

 

This beautiful wall of books will require hours of browsing.  Staff picks can be found throughout the store.   Look for those slips of paper randomly hanging from the shelves called "shelf talkers."

If you're writing a blog about bookstores, a variety of journals comes in handy. 

Sometimes the designs are on the ceiling and sometimes they're on the floor.  Nicely done, Thank You Books. 

 

If you've been putting off reading that classic, find these shelves and ask a bookseller for a recommendation. 

 

I love this room toward the back of the store.  Display table, reading nooks, shelves full, and covers displayed on top.  Super. 

Partial view of the children's area.  Very creative. 

Overview of the store looking back to front.

 

If you have a baby or a toddler and haven't seen these yet I think they're fantastic.  Drool proof and chew proof!  And they're washable. 

Very active virtual events schedule. 

If you're getting a gift, don't forget the card to go with it. 

I love the decorative string lights you can see throughout the store. 

With Kristen in the middle and Elizabeth on the right, two of the fine co-owners at Thank You Books.  Thanks for a great visit.