All the Best Bookstores in Tennessee
Last updated 4/1/25
If you love books, then you understand the fun that only browsing through a bookstore can bring. For Independent Bookstore Day, I wanted to put together a list of bookstores to visit across Tennessee.
The only problem is that I haven’t managed to visit enough bookstores in Tennessee (yet), so I asked Threads to help me put together a list, and people came through with more than 40 suggestions.
I’ve sorted the list by region: Middle, East, and West. (We’re starting in Middle Tennessee because I live in Nashville. Thanks to my previous article about bookstores in Nashville, I already have a handful of photos for those.)
If there’s a photo for a bookstore on this list, then I’ve been there. If there’s no photo, then I haven’t been yet.
Let me know if I’m missing your favorite bookstore in Tennessee. I’m going to attempt to visit them all, and I’m always up for visiting more bookstores!
Middle Tennessee
Parnassus Books (Nashville)
Run by beloved author Ann Patchett, Parnassus Books in Green Hills is a dream with a large selection of new books, a magical children’s section, and tons of book signings, book club meetings, and other bookish events.
I love coming here to browse!
Google Maps | Parnassus Books Website | 📚 Read my full post about Parnassus Books
The Bookshop (Nashville)
The Bookshop is a tiny gem in East Nashville. It’s small, but the curation of books is perfection. This is the place to go when you’re not sure exactly what you want to read. You’ll walk away with a new favorite.
Google Maps | The Bookshop Website | 📚 Read my full post about the Bookshop
Novelette Booksellers (Nashville)
Novelette is another bookstore in East Nashville with a great selection of books. The queer-owned bookstore has an especially good variety of graphic novels for a small shop.
Google Maps | Novelette Booksellers Website
Taylor Street Art & Books (Nashville)
Owned by Nashville(ish) natives, Taylor Street Art & Books is a micro-store in Germantown. The store has beautiful artwork and a carefully curated selection of books. It’s the exact opposite of an algorithm picking out books for you.
Google Maps | Taylor Street Art & Books Website
Rhino Booksellers (Nashville)
Rhino Booksellers feels a bit like walking into a book lover’s dream. The store is packed with books on every available surface as you walk through the maze-like layout. You’ll find used books along with instruments and vinyl records. Plus, you might spot the store kitty as you browse.
Google Maps | Rhino Booksellers Website
McKay’s (Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville)
McKay’s is a used bookstore and record store that started in Knoxville. It’s expanded and has multiple locations including two more in Tennessee–Nashville and Chattanooga. Besides books and records, McKay’s carries games, toys, and collectibles.
The location in Nashville is a two-story building packed full of media. I have yet to visit the other locations, but if there’s anything like the one in Nashville, you can easily spend hours here and walk out with a huge stack of books at a very reasonable price.
McKay’s Website | 📚 Read my full post about McKay’s
Fairytales Bookstore (Nashville)
Fairytales is the cutest (and tiniest) children’s bookstore located in the Five Point Alley Shops. I’ve found the staff to be super helpful in picking out just the right book. Besides books, the shop carries other items for children, including toys, games, and art supplies.
Google Maps | Fairytales Bookstore Website | 📚 Read my full post about Fairytales Bookstore
Vanderbilt University Bookstore (Nashville)
The Vanderbilt University Bookstore is a Barnes and Noble, so it’s not actually an independent bookstore. Someone on Threads said they like this one. It gets a spot on the list because I’m intrigued.
Google Maps | Vanderbilt Bookstore Website
Crying Cat Books & Records (Murfreesboro)
Crying Cat Books & Records has a good assortment of both new and used books (as well as records.) They also accept media trade-ins for cash or store credit.
Google Maps | Crying Cat Books & Records Website
The Happy Book Stack (Murfreesboro)
The Happy Book Stack sells used books along with records, video games, and other media.
Google Maps | The Happy Book Stack Website
The Grumpy Bookpeddler (Murfreesboro)
The Grumpy Bookpeddler has a huge selection of used books (over 50,000)! You’ll also find some new books by local authors here as well.
Google Maps | The Grumpy Bookpeddler Website
Reading Rock Books (Dickson)
Reading Rock Books is a cute little store with both used and new books plus book-related gifts.
Google Maps | Reading Rock Books Website
Plenty Bookshop (Cookeville)
Right in downtown Cookeville, Plenty Bookshop sells books, stationery, tea, children’s gifts, and local items. The shop is much larger than it looks from the outside. It keeps on going and is filled with so many cute little areas that invite you to spend more time there–like the table with a puzzle pictured above!
I love everything about the store! The selection includes everything from classics to the most popular current books. The tiny children’s section in the back is especially adorable.
Google Maps | Plenty Bookshop Website
Duck River Books (Columbia)
A cozy (and magical) bookstore in downtown Columbia selling both used and new titles.
Google Maps | Duck River Books Website
Ghostlight Books (Columbia)
Ghostlight Books is run by volunteers and supports arts and education programming in the community! The store carries both used and new books.
Google Maps | Ghostlight Books Website
Storybook Cottage (Greenbrier)
Storybook Cottage is a coffee shop and bookstore. They have both used and new books, and you can hang out for a while while sipping coffee to read or get some work done.
Google Maps | Storybook Cottage Website
Landmark Booksellers (Franklin)
Located in a historic building in downtown, Landmark Booksellers has new books as well as old and rare books.
Google Maps | Landmark Booksellers Website
Bound Booksellers & Gifts (Franklin)
Bound Booksellers & Gifts is a boutique children’s bookstore with a selection of new children’s books ranging from picture books to young adult books. The store also carries some adult books as well.
Google Maps | Bound Booksellers & Gifts Website
The Spine Bookshop (Smyrna)
The Spine Bookshop carries a variety of selections for literature lovers including lots of diverse books.
Google Maps | The Spine Bookshop Website
Hudubam Booktraders (Clarksville)
Hudubam Booktraders sells used and new books. You can bring gently used titles in to exchange for store credit.
Google Maps | Hudubam Booktraders Website
Harper’s Books (Lebanon)
Harper’s Books sells used and new books and other media. You can bring in titles to exchange for store credit. They also sometimes do Boozy Book Fairs with a nearby brewery, which sounds like fun.
Google Maps | Harper’s Books Website
City Square Books & Music (Hendersonville)
City Square Books & Music is the new location for Walton Ferry Books and Music. The store carries used books, music, and other media.
Google Maps | City Square Books & Music Website
East Tennessee
The Book and Cover (Chattanooga)
The Book and Cover is a coffee bar and bookshop selling new books. It’s owned by three friends. Based on their Instagram, I’m pretty sure that once I visit, I’ll never want to leave.
Google Maps | The Book and Cover Website
Winder Binder Mercantile (Chattanooga)
Winder Binder Mercantile carries used and new books along with records, gifts, and other unique merchandise. They have a section for Chattanooga related books and gifts plus folk art, photography, and pottery.
Google Maps | Winder Binder Website
A Little Bookish (Ooltewah)
A Little Bookish is a family-owned bookstore that started out on wheels. The shop now has a permanent storefront as well as a bookmobile.
Google Maps | A Little Bookish Website
Nirvana Comics (Knoxville)
Nirvana Comics carries comics for everyone ranging from collectors to young readers picking out their first comics, manga, or graphic novels.
Google Maps | Nirvana Comics Website
Good Girl Books (Knoxville)
Good Girl Books is a mobile bookstore offering new and used romance novels and bookish merchandise. You can find the pink bookmobile at markets, pop-ups, and other events around Knoxville.
The Bottom (Knoxville)
The Bottom is a bookstore and community space with a collection highlighting Black literature and creativity.
Google Maps | The Bottom Website
Fable Hollow Bookshoppe (Knoxville)
Fable Hollow is a coffee shop and bookstore that specializes in fantasy but carries a selection of books from all genres.
Google Maps | Fable Hollow Bookshoppe Website
Union Avenue Books (Knoxville)
Union Avenue Books is located in a historic building in downtown Knoxville. The store sells new books and is owned and run by a mother-daughter duo (which we love).
Google Maps | Union Avenue Books Website
The Book Eddy (Knoxville)
The Book Eddy sells used, rare, and out-of-print books.
Google Maps | The Book Eddy Website
Mr. K’s (Johnson City)
Mr. K’s is a family-owned used bookstore with 4 locations–including this one in Johnson City. The store buys, sells, and trades books, DVDs, video games, and other media.
Atlas Books (Johnson City)
Atlas Books in a bookstore located in the Generalist in Johnson City. Besides selling books, Atlas Books focuses on building community.
Google Maps | Atlas Books Website
Southland Books (Maryville)
Southland Books is a cafe and used bookstore that’s been open since 1992!
Google Maps | Southland Books Website
Neighborly Books (Maryville)
Neighborly Books is a friendly bookstore in the heart of Maryville. The store carries new books plus puzzles, stationery, toys, and games.
Google Maps | Neighborly Books Website
The Bookery (Cleveland)
The Bookery had its grand opening on March 22, 2025. It’s run by best friends who love baking and books!
Google Maps | The Bookery Website
Ruddle’s Bread & Book (Cleveland)
Ruddle’s Bread & Books combines books and baked goods! All of the bakery items are made fresh, and the menu rotates every two weeks. The books for sale are all used books.
Google Maps | Ruddle’s Bread & Book Website
White Pine Books (White Pine)
White Pine Books is a used bookstore that also buys and trades other media and entertainment items.
Google Maps | White Pine Books Website
Our Place (Cosby)
Our Place sells new and used books. The store also has an eclectic selection of gifts. You can get fair-trade coffee there as well.
Google Maps | Our Place Website
Meeting Street Books and Cafe (Dandridge)
Meeting Street Books and Cafes has baked goods and coffee along with a selection of books.
Google Maps | Meeting Street Books and Cafe Website
The Unkind Raven (Dandridge)
The Unkind Raven carries used and new books. The store hosts creative classes periodically.
Google Maps | The Unkind Raven Website
West Tennessee
Novel (Memphis)
When The Booksellers at Laurelwood closed its doors, a group came together to invest in the book community in Memphis, and the result is the wonderful bookstore Novel. The store has a great selection of new books along with stationery and gifts.
Novel hosts lots of storytimes, book signings, book clubs, and other events every month.
I also love Libro, the restaurant inside Novel, because it’s a good reason to spend even more time in a bookstore.
Burke’s Book Store (Memphis)
Dating back to 1875, Burke’s Bookstore has a long history in Memphis. The store has changed hands and locations over the years, but it still carries used and rare books along with new books.
Google Maps | Burke’s Bookstore Website
The Book Juggler (Memphis)
The Book Juggler is located on Main Street in Memphis. The store carries used and new books. It’s a good place to find local and regional titles.
Google Maps | The Book Juggler Website
DeMoir Books & Things (Memphis)
DeMoir Books & Things sells both used and new books along with other media, toys, collectibles, and more.
Google Maps | DeMoir Books & Things Website
Fox Booksellers (Martin)
Fox Booksellers is located in Martin’s Coffee and Bakery. Here you’ll find a selection of used books (and also coffee and baked goods).
Google Maps | Fox Booksellers Website
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Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone who gave suggestions for the best bookstores in Tennessee! I’ll add more details to the entry for each bookstore as I get the chance to visit, so bookmark this list if you want to see more.
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