On the Road with the Badass Women's Book Club: College Towns
Get ready to embark on a badass book lover’s dream adventure with our ultimate travel guide to Independent Bookstores in college towns! We're spilling the tea on the coolest book nooks where you can score everything from vintage page-turners to trending must-reads. Dive into the vibrant vibes of campus life while unearthing literary gems you won't find anywhere else.
In addition to meeting the book needs of their customers, so many of these stores are also on the front lines of literacy advocacy – shining a light on unreasonable and harmful policies and serving as a safe and welcoming space for all members of their communities.
Whether you're a college student, college parent, badass book lover, or just up for exploring, this guide's your ticket to badass bookish bliss in the heart of college coolness.
Square Books – Oxford, MS
Hotty Toddy! If you are heading down to Ole Miss this fall, you must add a visit to Square Books to your itinerary! Square Books is a renowned independent bookstore (in three buildings!) nestled in the historic town square of Oxford, Mississippi. Boasting a charming and inviting atmosphere, it offers a curated selection of books across various genres, fostering a sense of community and literary exploration among locals and visitors alike. With its warm ambiance and literary events, Square Books stands as a beloved cultural hub in this vibrant Southern town.
Avid Bookshop – Athens, GA
If you find yourself in Athens, Georgia for gameday, be sure to stop in Avid Bookshop. With its cozy and welcoming atmosphere, it's a cherished destination for book lovers seeking a carefully curated selection of titles across various genres. Avid Bookshop not only serves as a haven for literary enthusiasts but also as a cultural hub for the local community. The store firmly believes that books change readers’ lives for the better, and that belief influences everything they do at Avid Bookshop, from their curated collection to the events calendar to the books they put in customers' hands.
A Room of One’s Own – Madison, WI
A Room of One's Own is an iconic independent bookstore located in Madison, Wisconsin. This cherished literary haven offers an extensive collection of books spanning diverse genres and interests, catering to bibliophiles of all backgrounds. With a rich history of supporting feminist and socially conscious literature, A Room of One's Own stands as a cultural cornerstone in Madison, providing a welcoming space for literary exploration and community engagement. On Wisconsin!
First Light Books – Austin, TX
First Light Books is the newest addition to the independent bookstore scene in Texas’s capital city. Located in a building that formerly housed a post office, First Light has a wide-ranging inventory featuring fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art books, and a very strong cookbook selection. In addition to books, it also houses a coffee shop, wine bar, and all-day cafe. The bookstore plans to host general readings, while also leaning into its culinary profile with cookbook launches with themed snacks.
Bluebird Bookstop – Crozet, VA
When I’m visiting my college Hoo, I make time to take the lovely drive down Ivy Road to Crozet, Virginia and Bluebird Bookstop! The shop started as a vintage camper-turned-bookmobile and is now a bookstore and boutique that is the retail heart of this Blue Ridge Mountain town. Author events, writing courses, children’s art classes, and even a fall bookish retreat are just some of the community and reader events they host on a regular basis.
The Raven Book Store – Lawrence, KS
The Raven Book Store is a cherished independent bookstore located in Lawrence, Kansas. Founded in 1987 as a mystery-specialty store, it retains a strong mystery section to this day with additional specialties in fiction, poetry, current events, environmental writing, children's books, science fiction, and romance. In recent years, the Raven has become known for online small business advocacy through viral tweets, various media appearances, and a growing collection of activist zines. Raven Book Store hosts engaging author events and book clubs, making it a vital hub for literary enthusiasts in Lawrence and beyond. Badass Women’s Book Club author Sarah Smarsh (She Come by It Natural, our May 2021 book club pick) called it “Kansas’ cultural beacon”. It was named Publishers Weekly's Bookstore of the Year in 2022.
Parthenon Books – Syracuse, NY
Open less than two years, Parthenon Books is a welcome addition to the renewed business scene in downtown Syracuse. Designed as a gathering place for people of all backgrounds to come and fall in love with the printed word, the shop more than meets its mission of matching book-lovers with personalized recommendations, one-of-a-kind gifts, and particularly good coffee on Syracuse’s original Main Street.
Literati Bookstore – Ann Arbor, MI
Literati Bookstore is a beloved independent bookstore nestled in the heart of Ann Arbor, Michigan. With its warm and inviting atmosphere, it offers a thoughtfully curated selection of books across various genres, including a strong focus on literature, poetry, and local authors. Literati's commitment to fostering community engagement is evident through its events, author readings, and a space that has made it a popular spot in the vibrant downtown culture and arts scene. In 2019, Literati won the Publishers' Weekly Bookstore of the Year award.
Pearl’s Books – Fayetteville, AK
Pearl’s is an independent bookstore that sells new books and gifts on Center Street, just off the downtown square in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Owners, Daniel and Leah Jordan, Northwest Arkansas natives, are a family affected by cancer since just after Pearl’s opened. They are very vocal about the fact that running their small business and connecting with their customers and neighbors brings them much comfort as they navigate their health challenges. Visit them in Fayetteville or follow them on Instagram - they have hands down (paws down?) the best collection of dogs in bookstore photos on the internet!
Have an idea for where we should go On the Road next? Shoot me an email at hello@badasswomensbookclub.com with your recommendations! I’m leaning towards a collection of women-owned and/or author-owned bookstores so send me your best ideas!